


Love Language

by RoamingRoveon



Series: Love Language [1]
Category: Splatoon
Genre: F/F, Please be gentle, agent 3 is a useless lesbian, and my first splatoon one, but it spans a couple years, gay squids, insinuated sexual situations between consenting people, it's not a great time, marie is mildly emotionally constipated, no minors, pre final splatfest of splatoon 1, sappholopods, so who knows where that's gonna go, something something moral grey area, the voice of reason has to be callie, this is the first fic i've posted in awhile
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2020-10-27 20:42:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 51,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20766662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoamingRoveon/pseuds/RoamingRoveon
Summary: Some people have a hard time talking about their feelings. Agent 3 is one of those people. When she starts spending more time with the Squid Sisters, Agent 3 finds it harder and harder to hide her emotions, until Marie confronts her and she has no choice but to come clean.The problem is, even inklings aren't immune to Murphy's Law: anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.Set before the Callie vs Marie splatfest, but segues right on past that.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Once upon a time, a stagnant writer dove headfirst into a silly little colorful game called Splatoon and came up for air with Too Many Squids.
> 
> This little project was not supposed to be this long, but hey! Here's the first chapter, I hope you enjoy!

When she accepted a position in the New Squidbeak Splatoon and was gifted the moniker of Agent 3, Jinx could remember being over the moon. For a lot of reasons. Sure, she was nervous to fight the Octarian menace, and Captain Cuttlefish seemed a bit… off-kilter, but the pros far outweighed the cons in the long run.

With her trusty Hero Shot, Jinx barbecued hundreds of Octo troops with the ferocity of an inkling scorned, saving every zapfish and painting each outpost as a reminder of her victories. And she thoroughly enjoyed herself. Sure, turf wars were fun, but inklings always respawned and there was no real threat to it - here, in the belly of the beast, there was a thrill that came along with the threat of real danger. Of an enemy that was out for blood, that she could drown in the bright purple of her ink that wouldn’t come back for more.

She’d be lying if she said working alongside the Captain, along with the elusive Agents 1 and 2 helping her out over the radio, hadn’t all been life-changing. She went from a nobody, just one inkling in the Plaza that no one looked twice at, to doing something with herself. To making a difference, to saving Inkopolis! There was no downside to it all!

But what really tipped the scales for her was the moment she found herself staring down the leader of the show - DJ Octavio - and when it seemed like she may have finally met her match, her fellow agents finally revealed themselves. And it was none other than the Squid Sisters - the very idols she’d been watching on the news every morning. When Callie and Marie jumped into the battle with their Calamari Inkantation, jamming Octavio’s radio frequency and giving Jinx the chance to shoot down the annoying Octo once and for all, exhilaration flooded her well past the end of the battle. That song had power that everyone recognized, and no one questioned. She was not immune to the magic.

In the aftermath, she sat with the Squid Sisters, licking her wounds and talking about the whole ordeal with the tune still humming in her heart.

Callie was a good time. Jinx could remember swapping jabs with her, telling ridiculous stories and challenging one another for who had the weirdest ones. She was easy to talk to, she kept the team’s spirits up even before they met in person. Marie...seemed uninterested. At first. She contributed little to the conversation and responded more to Callie than Jinx, leaning against the old shack once they made it back to home base. She mostly observed her cousin and Agent 3 interact like it was either amusing or boring. Jinx just couldn’t tell which was true.

She watched the other inkling as carefully as she could without getting caught, waiting for any little nuance to Marie’s expression so she could figure it out. There was no giveaway, no hint of a crack in the mask of indifference. She smiled, but it was polite and nothing further. It only made her want to learn more.

After things calmed down, at least as far as Octo Valley was concerned, Jinx found herself spending more and more time with the Squid Sisters. She had grown so used to having them in her ears that the silence started to make her feel lonely. In their downtime, she hung around their apartment - lounging on the couch watching movies, playing childish games like truth or dare.

Getting to know Marie proved a challenge at first, but Jinx was persistent and she held her ground. She learned to read between the lines, learned how to ‘translate’ what would seem like off-handed comments to anyone else. Body language, sideways glances, all of it slowly became easier to read as the months passed by. And the more she learned, the more Jinx was drawn to the less expressive Squid Sister.

One particularly memorable evening during their unscheduled slumber party, Callie dug out a ridiculously old board game she’d gotten from her friend at the Shellendorf Institute, a relic he’d found at a dig site. The old plastic arrow meant to spin around was cracked and the metal rusted, so it didn’t budge. Still, all the fake jewelry inside was intact aside from a few chips in the paint, and Jinx couldn’t help but dissolve into a fit of giggles as she placed the gaudy rings onto her fingers and draped fake pearls around Callie’s neck.

All the while, Marie was sat gracefully between the two of them, always watching and passing idle comments with that same little smile on her face. “I think I’ve seen Pearl wear that exact same ring,” she mused, to which Callie laughed so hard she snorted. She was always more open with her ‘sister’ around.

“Oh my cod, I totally have! She’s definitely hard to miss in a crowd with all that bling,” there was no malice in the statement. Both of them really liked the up and coming Off the Hook, supporting their musical endeavors as a pair who had been in their shoes once upon a time.

When Jinx looked up to join the conversation, paint-chipped crown settled lopsided on top of her head, her brown eyes locked with Marie’s stunning amber for the first time since Octo Valley. And for just a moment, the sound of Callie’s laughter and the movie playing in the background both disappeared into silence. The inkling felt her grin easing slowly back, her mouth falling open just a bit as she just. Stared. It wasn’t the first time she’d stared at Marie, not by a long shot, but it was absolutely the first time Marie was staring back at her. Fully aware of the situation at hand.

It was also not the first time Jinx found herself thinking how beautiful Marie was. Tentacles let loose for a change and flowing down her back, dressed down in a crisp white tee and leggings, a comfortable looking green hoodie draped over her shoulders. She wore it on missions occasionally, so it was familiar to Jinx, and on more than one occasion she’d found herself desperately wishing she could try it on. Try it on, bury her nose into the fabric, and inhale as deeply as she could. So she could memorize the scent of Marie’s perfume.

Though she had no idea why she wanted that knowledge so badly, it made her stomach flip.

“Something on your mind, Agent Three?”

With the silence broken, Jinx shook her head a tiny bit, jostling the crown. She swallowed hard, her throat drier than a pre-spawn turf war, and became very suddenly aware of Callie prodding her shoulder insistently. “N-no! Nothing! Just, uh. You mentioned Pearl?” Change the subject, _change the subject_ \-- “From Off the Hook, right?”

Marie never took her eyes away from her fellow NSS agent. “Yeah, the latest on the music scene over in Inkopolis Square. We saw them a couple of weeks ago, they performed with us.”

“Man, you totally zoned out there!” Callie laughed beside her, leaning back and peeling the fake jewelry off her fingers one by one. “You feeling okay, Jinx?”

Her face flushed a deep purple, the addressed inkling cleared her throat. “Can we watch something else?” She wasn’t paying attention to the movie, anyway.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jinx gets in a little over her head and the Squid Sisters aren't sure if they buy her act.

That night was the first time Jinx thought she saw something in Marie’s eyes that hadn’t been there before. Could she dare to call it curiosity? Interest, even? She would admit to a daydream or two with the less exuberant Squid Sister as the star of the show, but she’d resigned herself to the fact that she didn’t have a chance from the first time they met in person. How could she? There was an impossible glass ceiling to break through and she was...too short.

After that night, something in the tides shifted. Jinx all but moved in with Callie and Marie over the next couple of months, the only technicality being a few belongings still taking up residence in her old studio apartment. She watched the place when the Squid Sisters spent some time away for shows and the like, kept it tidy and definitely didn’t ever sleep in Marie’s bed when they weren’t around.

…

She couldn’t help it. It was that smell thing again, there was just something about it that warmed her insides and made her feel so alive. The only thing she could compare it to was the rush she got during life-threatening missions in Octo Valley, and she’d been without that feeling for months by that point. She nested in the blankets, making a complete mess of the sheets and curling herself around one of the pillows. Surrounding herself completely with the scent that still clung to them.

Lying there in that room, mind in a cloudy haze of comfort, Jinx thought maybe she needed to have a chat with Marie about this… sooner rather than later. Because now, things were bordering on dangerous. She was lucky she got up and made the bed before Callie and Marie came home, ignoring the fact that it was a close call. So close, in fact, that she was just closing the bedroom door and vaulting herself over the back of the couch to drop onto the seat when the keys hit the lock. She tried to look casual, but her beanie was crooked and her leg was still half-slung over the back of the couch.

“Hey guys!” Jinx called out a little too loudly as the pair walked in, chatting excitedly with each other. “Good show?”

“Amazing!” Callie gushed, tentacles swinging with her as she twirled around. “Oh man, Jinx, you should have seen the stadium - I don’t think we’ve ever had a turnout that good!”

Marie beamed, that rare smile that lit up her whole face and turned the younger inkling’s insides to jelly. “I’m glad we’re getting to do more performances with Off the Hook. They’re going places,” she said, tossing her keys onto the coffee table and peeling her white gloves off. “Any wild parties while we were gone, Agent 3?”

Jinx laughed and hoped it didn’t sound nervous. “Oh yeah, Spike came over and we threw a huge rager. Everyone was invited. It was great,” she joked, increasingly aware of how breathless she sounded with each word. She needed to abort mission, and quickly. “Uh, speaking of parties, it sounds like a good show is in need of a celebratory dinner! I’m gonna run down to Crusty Sean’s, I’ll be back in a few!”

Without waiting for an answer, she rolled off the couch and power-walked out the door, followed by the bewildered stares of the Squid Sisters.

“Did she seem...agitated to you?” Callie’s brow furrowed with concern as she sat down to take off her boots.

Marie shrugged. “I’m not sure. She’s been like that lately, did you notice?”

“I guess not… She must have something on her mind.”

Jinx took a walk to clear her head, nearly power-walking around the Plaza in the chilly midnight air. With each breath, the warmth clouding her mind dissipated, leaving one thought screaming at her over and over again: What was she thinking?! What would she have done if she’d been caught? How was she supposed to explain that she was growing more and more obsessed with the pop singer when the most they’d done was exchange glances and banter over coffee?

What was she meant to say about a feeling she could barely get a grasp on? One she had no word for?

An hour passed without her even realizing it. Her phone buzzing in her pocket snapped her out of the inner turmoil, and when she looked at the time she could have kicked herself. She promised to come back with food, but Sean would have closed up shop a long time ago - especially without a splatfest to keep everyone up all night. As it was, the Plaza was a ghost town.

[callie] hey 3 where u at??

[callie] i crave that deep fried goodness :( marie ate all my snacks.

Well...crap.

[~*jinx*~] sry cal i lost track of time

[~*jinx*~] sean’s closed ;( can i make it up to u in the morning?

[callie] >_< SIGH… ya i guess so!

[callie] something on ur mind? u've been super skittish lately

[~*jinx*~] nah i’m good!

[~*jinx*~] just needed some fresh air, be back in a min!

Pocketing the phone, Jinx took one more deep breath before turning on her heel and trekking back to the apartment.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Agent 3 comes back from her walk. Callie respects her anxieties but also isn't taking her bullshit. Someone's gotta throw some tough love around here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thrilled to have so many hits on this already~ Thank you everyone! 
> 
> Shit's 'bout to get real. Buckle down.

It was almost two in the morning when Jinx finally made it back, dragging her feet and hoping that her friends would have gone to bed by the time she got in. That was stupid, she realized; inklings were known for staying up late and sleeping in, and the life of a pop idol probably kept them up even later than normal. Callie was lounging in her pajamas on the couch when Jinx opened the door, munching on some kelp chips, and she scooted over to make room automatically. 

Feeling almost completely calm at last, and with Marie nowhere in sight, Jinx took her up on the offer and flopped down beside her. She almost crushed the bag of chips when she laid down, dropping her head into Callie’s lap and sighing with much more force than was probably necessary. She was just so frustrated with herself.

“Y’know you were gone for like… an hour and a half,” Callie pointed out, her tone light and teasing. Moving her snack just enough to avoid destruction, the older inkling rested a palm on her friend’s forehead. 

Jinx closed her eyes and nudged up into the gentle touch, and the only sound for a few minutes was the soft tap of Callie’s thumb against her phone screen. Scrolling Squidder for thoughts on the show, probably - but that was okay with the younger inkling. She didn’t really want to trouble her friend with what was on her mind, anyway.

“Marie said something about wanting to talk to you,” Callie said at last, smooth and nonchalant like she was talking about the weather. For her obviously it wasn’t a big deal. But Jinx tensed considerably, and Callie noticed. “What’s up with you, huh? You’ve been so weird around her lately.” 

Groaning loudly, the purple-tentacled inkling rolled onto her side and pressed her face against her friend’s abdomen. A very muffled “I don’t want to talk about it” came from somewhere near Callie’s stomach and she laughed, giving her shoulder a pat or two. 

“Well, whatever it is, I think you should take it up with her,”

Oh, if only she knew. 

“She’s not really the kind of person who likes to play around. Just talk to her, you know? She might surprise you.” It was half comforting, but Jinx could tell the other half was scolding her. And she couldn’t help but think she deserved it, for not being able to work out her garbage.

She wondered for a second (with abject horror) if Marie could tell her bed had been slept in. Then she decided she didn’t want to consider that scenario, and kept her face firmly planted in Callie’s shirt. Maybe if she didn’t respond, she wouldn’t have to move, and it almost seemed like that was acceptable until a hand squeezed her shoulder. 

“I’m gonna head to bed - it’s been a long weekend,” Callie gave another nudge, until Jinx scooted away from her and reluctantly sat up. She went through the motions, folding up the open bag of chips, bringing it back into the kitchen and putting them away, and paused in her doorway. “Marie’s in her room. I think she’s still awake.” 

The door closed behind her and Jinx was left alone.

It was probably too much to hope that Marie had gone to bed.

Jinx could hear the rapid beating of all three hearts thundering in her ears, and as ridiculous as it sounded time seemed to slow down as she dragged her feet toward the door. It was open just a crack, letting a sliver of dim light filter out from the bedroom. And all she could think was this was it. It was now or never. Any musing on what she would say or what she would do was over - there was only action.

Imagining this was what an Octotrooper felt like staring down the barrel of her Hero Shot, Jinx rapped on the door with shaky knuckles before easing it open just far enough to poke her head around the edge. 

At least one heart lodged in her throat at the sight. 

Marie sat perched at the edge of her bed, amber eyes half-lidded and fixed thoughtfully down at the neat covers where her palm rested. Clad in a silky silver yukata. Pale tentacles tipped with their gradient green remained tied in the familiar bow-like fashion - she still hadn’t taken them down, and it always made her seem like she was presenting herself as a gift that no one was privileged enough to open. 

Jinx felt her body shifting into fight or flight mode very quickly, pondering her odds of getting out of here without being noticed. A last minute attempt to run away from the strange cacophony of things she was feeling.

“Agent Three,” Marie’s voice brought her thoughts to a screeching halt, catching her mid-turn like she was about to bolt. 

“Uh,” she said, very intelligently. “Sorry. It’s late. Aren’t you tired?” She was still standing in the doorway, terrified that once she crossed the threshold there would be nothing else keeping her from her fate. 

Brown eyes met with Marie’s amused half-smile, one Jinx was well acquainted with, and the singer patted the bed beside her. “I don’t want to have to drag you in here, Three.” 

They probably both knew she wouldn’t have to. 

“Close the door behind you, please.”

Jinx slipped into the room at last, doing as she was told. The latch slid shut with a gentle click, a sound that rang in her ears along with every step she took across the soft carpet to the bed. Sitting poised to get back up at the drop of a hat, the tense inkling’s gaze jumped around the room, not really able to focus on any one thing. Her fingers picked at the edge of her shirt. She could feel Marie’s gaze in the side of her head. 

This was awful. How did anyone deal with this kind of thing?

Marie was the first to speak when it became clear that Jinx wasn’t going to. “You made my bed,” she pointed out, her voice calm. Betraying nothing. 

Jinx swallowed hard. “Mhmm,” she managed, not trusting herself to form words.

“You didn’t touch Callie’s?” 

“I did,” Jinx lied. Wow, that lamp was really interesting, was that Himalayan pink salt? Where did Marie even get that? 

“Jinx,” despite the fact that this was clearly an interrogation, Marie’s tone remained even and collected. “You’re a really bad liar.” 

The younger inkling’s head jerked toward her friend, cheeks flushed a dark purple that only spread when she saw the amusement in Marie’s eyes. Her chest tightened and she was sure she would implode any second, nothing more than a splatter of ink on the comforter. 

“...Yeah,” she squeaked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It may seem like we are nearing the end. 
> 
> Oh no, my friends. 
> 
> We have only just begun. 
> 
> Feedback is always appreciated~!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the longest chapter so far, the tension is so thick even a splatling couldn't crack it. But Marie has had enough playing around, and it's time for some action.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks for the lovely comments! I'm happy to know this is being enjoyed.

For the fact that she was carrying the conversation on her own, Marie didn’t seem to mind. If she did, she certainly wasn’t sharing. “I get the feeling there’s something you need to talk to me about,” she said, leaving as minimal room for argument as possible. She was quite good at that. “Shall we hash it out, then?”

Jinx swallowed again, her tongue weighing thick and heavy. “N-no?” She tried lamely, knowing how weak it was even before the little snort of laughter and the raised eyebrow she got in return. She wasn’t good at this. She didn’t know how to talk to people. Generally, her weapon did the talking for her. 

Except, she couldn’t use force here. 

“I--” Jinx clenched her jaw, frustration building while she tapped her toes against the floor. “Yeah. Probably.” She had to force each syllable out, every second agonizing. 

Marie was as patient as she was level-headed, sitting there with her hands folded on her lap just watching. Waiting. 

Jinx took a deep breath, graduating from picking at her shirt to tracing patterns on the blanket. The very same one she’d shamelessly buried herself into a few hours earlier. Icy dread settled in the pit of her stomach at the dawning realization that Marie probably knew about that. Or had suspicions, at least. 

“I don’t know,” she confessed at last, shoulders slumping. She never admitted defeat, but it seemed inevitable now. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Marie.” Inside, she was begging for mercy. Waiting for the girl beside her to say what she didn’t know how to. 

For just a second, Jinx could swear she caught a flicker in Marie’s expression. A tiny fracture in her well-kept mask, a twitch of her brow into what was either confusion or frustration. 

Marie frowned. “I’m getting mixed signals from you,” she said at last, shaking her head. “For the last few weeks, you’ve been avoiding being alone with me. Now my sheets smell like you. So it’s time to start talking.”

Jinx winced at the extra push to an otherwise nonchalant tone, completely taken aback. “Are-- are you  _ mad at me _ ?” Not that she’d blame her, what kind of crazy person just makes a blanket nest in a pop idol’s bed?? That was ridiculous.

“I’m certainly not  _ happy  _ about the situation,” Marie huffed, folding her arms across her chest. “Tell me what you want. In no uncertain terms - I don’t want to play games with you.” 

She didn’t have an answer for that. Not a verbal one, anyway - Jinx opened and closed her mouth several times, grimaced, shook her head, flailed with her hands a bit ineffectively. “I don’t--” She didn’t know what to say! A fact that was making her more and more upset with herself by the second! “--I’m not-- I’m not good with words, Marie, I’m. Please. You know that.” Desperation lined her voice, her russet eyes  _ pleading  _ for reprieve as she stared helplessly at the source of the problem.

What she was hoping was for Marie to relent.

What she was not  _ expecting  _ was for Marie to move closer to her. The Yukata shifted across her shoulders like water, smooth and shimmering, as the older inkling sighed and reached out to Jinx. 

A hand pressed against her shoulder and Jinx was horrified at how hard her hearts were pounding, it was doubtlessly a rhythm that Marie could feel, but didn’t mention as she leaned closer. Even closer. Oh so slowly easing the nervous inkling back, until she was pressed flat against the blankets. 

Jinx wondered if she would walk away from this encounter with third degree burns on her face, from how warm it was. “M-Marie--” She squeaked, as the other girl leaned over her. 

Marie did not back off. She settled, one hand propped up onto the bed beside Jinx’s head, the other still pressed into her collarbone. One knee resting between  _ her  _ knees, staring steadily and expectantly down into brown eyes above bright purple cheeks. 

“Agent Three,” she started, but thought better of it. “...Jinx. I enjoy your company. Would it be safe to assume that’s a mutual feeling?” 

This close, her voice was quieter, but there was an insistence to it that sent a shiver down Jinx’s spine. She wanted to make a comment about how close together they were, or how good Marie smelled, because oh goodness. It was one thing to pick up someone’s scent leftover on their bed sheets, but a whole other sensation being so near to the source. All she wanted was to lean up and press her face directly into the other girl’s neck, and inhale.

“....Yeah,” she managed weakly, when an awkward enough stretch of time had passed. 

“So what are you going to do about it, then?” 

Was Marie… challenging her? She wasn’t sure what the right answer was. All she knew was the proximity, the warmth, the building desperation, and the fact that she couldn’t stop thinking about how inviting the crook of Marie’s neck looked. 

The very first time Jinx had stepped foot into Octo Valley, adrenaline had morphed into a kind of courage that she’d never known before. One that helped her push through the first wave of octoslobs and toward a victory that sparked the rest of her triumphs. In those moments, she truly felt like she could accomplish anything - and she did. She made a name for herself, proved her strength to the entire Octarian race, proved she wasn’t someone to be messed with.

Pinned underneath Marie in her bedroom months later, it was like her first day all over again. What had she done to take that first leap…?

She took a deep breath, curled her fingers into the sheets for leverage, and pushed herself up the minimal distance between them to bury her face against warm, pale skin. She could hear the soft gasp against her ear, followed by a gentle breathy laugh, and she breathed in as deeply as she could through her nose. 

Marie smelled like nothing she’d ever experienced before - something soft and floral, rose maybe? Mixed with the tiniest hint of sharp, earthen scents. It reminded her of warmth and comfort. _Home._ A home she’d never been to, one unlike the place where she grew up but similar to anywhere she’d ever felt safe. It consumed all of her senses immediately, every tense muscle melting effortlessly as she breathed it in. 

Just one more, she told herself, as her nerve endings lit up. 

“Jinx…” 

There it was, as her nose brushed against soft skin and she felt that rush of life flowing through her at last.

“ _ Jinx. _ ” 

...Oh. There was a person on the other end of this, wasn’t there? Pressure between her shoulder blades brought her back from her little ‘vacation’ and she reluctantly pulled away, not drawing too far. Sheepishly, she smiled at Marie. 

“Enjoying yourself?” The Squid Sister didn’t look annoyed, though. Amused, definitely, and something else that Jinx wasn’t quite sure of. Something soft, accompanied by a smile that turned her insides to jelly. 

“...You smell nice,” she admitted, the first intelligent thing she’d said since she stepped foot in the room. Then, clearing her throat, she tried again. “I’m not really--”

“--Good with words,” Marie finished for her, seeming to finally understand what she meant by it. A pause, and then a thoughtful hum. “You keep saying that… but I’ve seen you communicate just fine.” 

Before Jinx could apologize, something she never expected came out of Marie’s mouth. 

“How do  _ you  _ ‘say’ what’s on your mind, Agent Three?” No mocking tone. No ulterior motive. Nothing but genuine curiosity, a desire to know. 

Between that tone of complete acceptance and the burning need to answer the question, Jinx took another bold step and took Marie’s face in her palms. Leaning in and kissing her with no more bravado. It wasn’t graceful or perfect or any of the words she associated with the idol, but as far as she could tell it said everything she needed it to. 

_ You make me feel alive. All I want to do is be around you, be with you, know you.  _

The younger inkling pulled away after just a moment, her insides fluttering with either panic or excitement and she didn’t know which was stronger. Gorgeous amber eyes just stared at her in surprise, until it started to sink in that she had just kissed Marie. Then the flutters started to wilt into nausea. She just got so carried away, she was too excited, she didn’t know what she was doing - and Marie asked!!

“...Well. That’s unorthodox.” 

“I’msorryMarieIdidn’tmeanto--”

Marie was faster. 

Before Jinx knew what was happening, the other girl’s lips were pressed against hers once more, soft but insistent. Like she was trying to send a message back. She could read affirmation in it that almost made her cry with relief, as the pressure that had been building up in her heart crumbled away and she kissed back. Her arms draped over Marie’s shoulders, fingers toying with the silky fabric of her yukata, and she felt the hand on her shoulder slip to her back and pull her in just a bit closer. 

Her head was spinning when she broke away to catch her breath. 

Through the buzzing that seemed to fill the space between them, Marie’s expertly-crafted mask had finally broken away to allow a stunning smile through. “I see,” she hummed, leaning back and folding her legs beneath her as she settled again. “...Would you like to sleep with me tonight? Instead of on the couch? I can’t imagine that’s comfortable.”

Truth be told, Jinx could sleep anywhere. She’d fallen asleep in the tightest corners of Octo Valley mid-mission, been roused from a pool of her own ink. But she was still a little shaky on what had just happened, on what she  _ started _ , and if she took a step outside of the bedroom there was a good chance she could wake up and realize it was all a dream. Yes, it was better if she stayed here, and with an invitation, it would be rude to say no.

She was just beginning to nod enthusiastically when Marie spoke again-- 

“--I absolutely insist you take a shower first, though.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "You remind me of Agent 3...if Agent 3 was two years older and practiced basic hygiene." 
> 
> Marie you should probably address that. 
> 
> Shit's about to start getting real, hope y'all are prepared!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callie had to get her two cents in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I needed more Callie in my life. I love her. She's wonderful. 
> 
> There's also a reason she was Team Chaos.

Callie was an early riser. 

She couldn’t help it. She’d always been up with the sun, no matter how late she stayed up the night before. While the apartment was quiet, she filled her time with little things - checking her social media and the news, filling the kettle and putting it on for tea, sitting at the kitchen island while it boiled. Equal parts tired and hyped, fueled by leftover adrenaline from the show that weekend, she listened intently for sounds of other life to stir.

The instant she heard the click of a door latch, Callie set her phone down on the counter beside her and folded her elbows atop it, leaning forward expectantly. Maybe she was too eager, but she was  _ dying  _ to get the scoop on how the night had played out.

Jinx rounded the corner, rubbing the heel of one hand against her eyelid and yawning wide. She’d slept ridiculously well, better than she could remember in ages, and it made her wonder if it was really as simple as curling up next to someone she cared about--

“So how’d it go?”

Callie’s voice nearly made her jump out of her skin. Jinx yelped in surprise, whirling around and clutching at her shirt where her hearts thudded erratically. The older girl giggled, pressing her fingers against her mouth and absolutely  _ beaming _ from ear to ear. 

“Holy carp, Callie,” Jinx took a deep breath to steady herself, glancing back at the bedroom door to make sure it hadn’t woken Marie. “H-how long have you been just… waiting??”

Callie waved a hand dismissively, scooting back to grab the kettle as it started whistling. She went about the motions of getting a couple of mugs ready for tea. “Oh, I’m always up this early. You’re usually just passed out cold on the couch. Did you know you snore?” 

Deep purple flooded Jinx’s face.

“Anyway,” the idol continued. “Want sugar today?” 

Carefully, waiting for the interrogation she feared was coming, Jinx settled down on the other side of the island and tapped her fingertips against the counter. “Uh. Yeah, just a little.”

Callie hummed to herself while she worked, a tune the other agent hadn’t heard yet. Probably a work in progress, both of the Squid Sisters were always thinking up new jams. She poured, stirred, and turned back to set the mugs on the counter between them. Smiling all the while, amber eyes fixed back onto her friend.

“Soooo?” She tried again. “How did everything go?”

Jinx rapped her foot idly against the wood paneling. “Um,” she said. 

“Well clearly you said  _ something  _ right, or Marie did,” Callie was leaning forward on the counter again, elbow propped up and cheek resting against her palm. “You slept in her room last night.” 

Well, she absolutely wanted to dissolve into the floor after that. Grabbing the collar of her hoodie - oh, necessary correction, it was  _ Marie’s  _ hoodie. She grabbed the open collar, pulling both sides up over her mouth and groaned into it. 

“Wejustslept,” she insisted through the fabric, muffled and high-pitched. “Allwedidwassleep. Wesleptandcuddled.” They played Twenty Questions too, but that wasn't important.

For half a second, Callie looked skeptical. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, tilting her head and studying what she could see of Jinx’s face. “Hmmm,” then again, it wasn’t like she didn’t believe it. Jinx wasn’t the kind of person to lie. “Alright. Then let me give you some sage advice, at least?”

Slowly but surely, Jinx lowered the fabric from her face, smoothing it out and reaching for her cup of tea. The cuffs of the sleeves fell over the backs of her hands, leaving just the tips of her fingers exposed, and created a nice cushion between her skin and hot ceramic. “...Okay?” 

She wasn’t nervous, per se. Callie was one of her closest friends. Still, she knew that Callie’s most important person was Marie, and there was the lingering fear that things were weird and shifty. Jinx tried not to keep her gaze averted. 

Callie took a sip from her cup. “Using my incredible command over the mystical arts,” she wiggled her fingertips a little, “I can tell that you’re nervous.” 

It didn’t take a psychic to figure that out. “I’m not exactly good at hiding that, Cal,” she said quietly, starting to feel squirmy again. Was her torment never meant to end about this?

“Okay, okay, but here’s the thing - you gotta shrug that off, girl!” Nudging her mug to the side a little, Callie reached across the table to take Jinx’s hands reassuringly. “You really like Marie, right?”

Another dark flush colored Jinx’s cheeks. She nodded vigorously. 

“You told her, right?”

In her own way, she had, so she nodded again.

“She obviously feels the same way. She would have shut you down, like,  _ immediately  _ if she didn’t,” Callie held her gaze, encouraging and intense. “Trust me. I know her.” 

Jinx chewed at her lower lip, helplessly staring back at her friend. She couldn’t find any words. They’d already established how bad she was at talking about this kind of thing. So, she just let Callie go on, figuring they could work out the answers that way.

“So just go all in! What’s the worst that could happen!!” Callie’s smile brimmed with excitement. How could she  _ not  _ be passionate about this? Her cousin, her best friend in the entire world, was getting a chance at something really great. “You’ve already done the hard part, so get hyped!” 

“Get… hyped?” 

“Yes, hyped! Hold her hand, kiss her, take her fun places! Spend as much time with her as you can, and let yourself enjoy every second of it!” Every word just oozed confidence, and Jinx wondered how contagious that might be. “Marie is a wonderful person, and so are you. I couldn’t be happier about this if I tried.” 

Sitting back a bit, Callie pulled her hands back and took up her tea. “Don’t be scared of this. Jump in, feet first, and let yourself have it,” then, through her smile, her brows tented a tiny bit. Concern…? “And whatever you do… don’t hurt her. I love her too, you know.”

Jinx swallowed, hard. She soaked in the words, taking each one to heart and nodding along with all of it. Of course Callie was right. She was Agent 3 - she wasn’t scared of anything. And she wasn’t going to be scared of this, this feeling that made her feel so warm and safe. So happy she could barely stand it. 

“Callie,” she spoke with a growing confidence of her own. “I could never,  _ ever  _ hurt her. I couldn’t even imagine a world where that would be possible.” 

The worry melted from the older inkling’s face just as quickly as it had appeared. “I know you won’t. I just had to say it,” she sighed contentedly, closing her eyes and sipping from her cup. 

They sat there in comfortable silence for a few minutes, drinking tea and enjoying each others’ company in the quiet of the apartment. If it were possible, the place felt more like home to Jinx than it had before, and she was content to bask in it. When the bedroom door slid open again, her chest felt light and fluttery. She prepared to call out a good morning to Marie, to start the day off right and fresh.

Callie beat her to it. 

“Hey Marie, didja get it in?” 

Though Jinx was mortified, she heard Marie’s voice call back nonchalantly without missing a beat.

“Nah, not this time."

“There’s always tomorrow!!”

Jinx pulled the hood down over her face.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Murphy's Law states that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Maybe the actual phrase didn't survive the apocalypse, but Murphy always finds a way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for the wait, it's been a pretty crazy weekend. 
> 
> Please enjoy!

After that night, there came a very obvious shift in the way the two inklings behaved around each other. Where before there were awkwardly exchanged glances, light jabs at each other and quiet conversations grew in their place. They played rounds of Twenty Questions to find out more about each other, from the easiest topics to some much deeper ones that were difficult to talk about.

While words about feelings still weren’t her strong point, Jinx found herself increasingly more comfortable just talking about turf wars and battle strategies, hometowns and childhood accomplishments. 

The more she learned about Marie, the more she adored her. Months went by that way, with the pair growing more and more attached to each other - at least, Jinx  _ hoped  _ it was mutual, because she was definitely starting to feel it whenever her companion had to be away for extended periods of time. A hollow sort of echo loomed within her on weekends or longer trips for Marie’s career, and she did what she could to stay busy.

They went on lunch dates, held hands, stole kisses whenever they could - though, never in public, lest the Squid Sisters’ fanbase fillet Jinx on the spot.

They didn’t really talk about their relationship, about what it was. From her perspective, Marie was perfectly content not to, and she had a hard time pinpointing the churning in her stomach at the thought. She couldn’t help but wonder if Marie was ashamed of it, despite the obvious  _ physical  _ signs that everything was okay. She could read it in the subtle touches to her back, the squeeze of the older girl’s fingers in hers. The gentle kisses against her skin.

Her favorite was when kisses grew desperate. When things got heated and it became abundantly clear that she was  _ wanted _ , especially if she’d been worrying that maybe she was wrong. Marie kissed her with a ferocity she’d never felt from another person before, completely the opposite of what her usual laid-back demeanor would suggest. Jinx responded in kind, always, speaking in her peculiar way as she felt the words on Marie’s tongue. 

_ I need you. I want you. I’m yours, just yours.  _

It was a conversation they had with increasing frequency.

Jinx worked up the nerve to ask one evening, pressed as seamlessly against the taller girl as she could be and running her fingertips lightly up and down Marie’s arm. They spent every night like this now, and Jinx couldn’t think of anything she’d rather have as her ‘normal.’ 

Soft words murmured, unsure, into the other’s shoulder. “So like… what are we?” It felt so cliche, maybe even stupid, but at least she got it out.

For a moment, there was silence. Jinx listened to the heartbeat against her ear, listened to the steady rhythm of Marie’s breathing as she thought about it.

“I don’t know if it’s really important to put a label on it,” she said, tracing reassuring circles between Jinx’s shoulder blades. “But if you want to, I guess we can.” 

Jinx shifted. “I’m not sure,” she admitted. “I just… don’t know what to call you.” 

A gentle laugh jostled her from where she lay against Marie’s chest. “Most people just call me Marie?” She teased, earning a stifled giggle. “Honestly though… if you really want to, you could call me your girlfriend. I’m just a bit worried about you gettin’ cooked by my fans.” Her tone took on a hint of concern. 

Ah. Jinx hadn’t thought of that. She grimaced, pressing her face into Marie’s neck and taking a deep breath before the anxiety could crowd her mind. The threat of immediate splattage couldn’t keep away the rush she felt at the chance, though. Getting to use the word ‘girlfriend’ in the same sentence when describing Marie? It was the thrill she’d gotten with their first kiss, with every kiss after that, with every second they got to spend together. Times ten. Maybe a hundred. 

Lifting her head again and grinning like a giddy teenager, she nodded furiously. 

“Worth it. I’ll fight ‘em all off, if I get to call you my girlfriend,” her stomach fluttered even saying it. 

Another soft laugh rang in her ears, musical and lovely like everything else about her partner. “You are pretty good with that hero shot, Agent 3. I know I’d hate to go up against you,” Marie crooned with a fond smile, tugging her a little closer and leaning down to kiss her forehead. 

Jinx beamed. “You’d snipe me before I even got close,” she stated happily. 

“Mm, and you would thank me for it?”

“Duh.” A noise of contentment rumbled in her chest as she leaned up to steal a real kiss. 

For a while, everything was perfect. 

Jinx only went back to her apartment for clothes, one week’s worth at a time, and to do laundry. She flowed seamlessly into the Squid Sisters’ lives, their daily routine. They had morning coffee together before Marie and Callie headed off to do the Inkopolis News. She knew them without the television personas, in pajamas and comfort, and she felt at home every single day. She busied herself during the day with a few rounds of turf war, occasionally browsing the shops for new outfits - though she never swapped out her favorite beanie, that was her signature - and heading down to Octo Valley to check in with Cap’n Cuttlefish. 

It was good to run some recon, just to be sure the Octarian troops didn’t overrun the valley again. She liked to revisit the domes and clear them out every now and then. DJ Octavio watched her from his snow globe prison every time, glaring death as she passed.

“Yer ruinin’ _hundreds_ of lives, ya know,” He growled his warning. 

Jinx rolled her eyes. “I’m saving my city,” she countered, stopping to press her fingertip accusingly against the glass. “Not that you’d know anything about protecting what you care about, all you want is to destroy Inkopolis!”

The flash in the Octo leader’s eyes was unbridled rage. It caught her off guard. These days he was more often resigned to his fate, his glares half-hearted and his words carrying little weight. He was too tired and used to the snow globe life to fight back much anymore. Jinx’s smile faded at the sudden, sincere hostility.

Octavio leaned forward as much as his prison would allow, that fury still burning in his eyes. “I bet ya think yer some big  _ hero _ , don’tcha, squid?” His voice was low, not threatening but close to it. “Yer so busy pretendin’ yer makin’ the world a better place. But ya ain’t. Yer a selfish brat, just like the rest of that stinkin’ city.” 

Jinx thought that she knew better than to let what he said get to her. He always made off-handed comments about how much he hated her, and the NSS, and inklings for that matter. This, though...something didn’t sit right with her about it. She glanced around to see where Cap’n Cuttlefish had escaped to, looking for an easy out from this conversation that was making her increasingly uncomfortable. 

Cuttlefish was nowhere in sight. 

“I-- I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she tried to sound brave, but her voice betrayed her false confidence. “I’m the good guy.” 

“Are ya?” Octavio was relentless. “Or are ya just scared of the truth? Don’t ya think my people deserve to live in peace, too? Without a buncha bratty inklings comin’ in ta destroy their homes?”

A dread like she had never known before settled, heavy and cold, in the pit of her stomach as the words sunk in. It came slow at first, creeping, and then all at once crashed down onto her shoulders like a frigid wave; the weight of a realization that, had she just stopped and  _ considered _ for a second, may have prompted her to find another way around the problem. Another answer besides murdering every octo she came across. Besides blindly following the instruction of an old war veteran. 

How many times had Jinx seen the panic on an Octotrooper’s face when she’d taken down all of its team mates? 

How often had she been face to face with an Octoling, cornered and out of ink, and seen the absolute  _ terror  _ in those eyes as it spoke to her in their bizarre language? 

...What, she dare ask, had they been saying to her? Had they begged for her to spare them? For mercy? 

When she looked back at DJ Octavio, she felt cold and clammy from the inside out. Her stomach pitched and she wondered if she was going to throw up. Shaking hands quickly released her trusty hero shot and it clattered to the ground, all under the heated stare of the trapped Octo leader. 

Without another word, Agent 3 turned back and bolted for the sewer drain that would take her back home.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the going gets tough, squid kids do their best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was trying to hold out for 500 hits to post this chapter, plus I'm running out of pre-written content, BUT. 
> 
> I love you guys.
> 
> And I want to give you stuff. :3

Marie would never say the studio was  _ boring. _ That would be looking a gift horse in the mouth. Just because she and Callie were pop stars didn’t mean this gig was locked in, they could have just as easily gotten someone else to do the news every day. Every two hours. Cod, she really hated that part. There were at least six things she could think of that she’d rather be doing, right off the top of her head. 

At the very least, she had her cousin there to keep her company. The Squid Sisters sat there behind the large glass walls separating them from the rest of the plaza, and Marie vaguely paid attention to Callie’s story about a turf war she’d gotten out of. Her mind wandering in a different direction entirely.

She wondered what Jinx was doing right then. 

It surprised her a little, how often she would think about her friend during the day. She was never the co-dependent type, never one to really obsess over a relationship. There was just something about Agent 3 that held her attention. It had grown on her, the endearing way that Jinx struggled to convey her feelings with words. The way she communicated through touch, through a nudge to the lower back. A tug on a sleeve. A fierce kiss brimming with desperation and desire. 

Not that she was waxing poetic about it, of course. She rested her cheek in one palm and stared out the windows into the plaza, in no way daydreaming about the soft purple color of Jinx’s tentacles, or the way her dark skin beautifully contrasted Marie’s own, or how her eyes lit up whenever they saw each other. No… Marie played it cool. She was calm, she was composed, and she was not a giddy child with a hopeless crush.

It wasn’t hopeless, after all. Because Jinx liked her, too.

A lot of came up that first night they spent together all those weeks ago, for both of them. A lot of things that Marie still thought about while her mind was on the topic of Agent 3.

_ Jinx got comfortable - unfathomably comfortable - sliding up next to Marie on the soft sheets. She was rigid at first, the tension lost in the heat of the shower creeping back into her muscles and threatening to make for a very awkward evening. But the older girl flashed an amused smile, slid both arms around her back, and tugged Jinx up to lay half beside her and half on top of her. _

_ “Relax,” the pop idol soothed, loosing one hand to trace her fingertips along one violet tentacle. “You act like you’ve never slept next to someone before.”  _

_ Jinx snorted, her cheeks burning endlessly. “I, uh, haven’t?” She couldn’t believe Marie was surprised, honestly. “Is… is it normal for squids our age to, like…?”  _

_ Marie shook her head, her gaze searching and thoughtful though her actions felt fluid and practiced. “Not really, no,” she shrugged. “Callie and I used to sleep together all the time when we were kids, that’s all. I guess I never asked if you had any siblings.” _

_ They hadn’t asked much about each other at all, really. Nothing deeply personal.  _

_ “Why don’t we play a game?” Marie went on, that smile still lingering on her face as she watched Jinx’s expressions. It was interesting to see someone who wore their heart so openly - metaphorically, of course.  _

_ Jinx’s brow creased in confusion. Hadn’t they just gotten comfortable? Relatively? “Sunken Treasure is in the other room, I think--”  _

_ “We don’t need anything to play this one, Agent 3,” Marie said, like she didn’t want to laugh at the clueless comment. She did, though not for cruel reasons. It was strangely endearing, and she smoothed a tentacle back over Jinx’s shoulder. “Twenty Questions. It’s pretty simple. I ask you something about yourself, and you ask me something about me.” _

_ There was another first. Jinx couldn’t remember the last time anyone had asked her about herself--well. No one had. She wasn’t exactly what the inklings called “social.” Shifting against the sheets, her loose shirt bunching up around the base of her back, she rested her cheek against Marie’s shoulder and pursed her lips.  _

_ “I’m not all that interesting,” she laughed after a second of thinking about it.  _

_ Marie rolled her eyes. “You came out of nowhere, steamrolled the entire Octarian army, fried their leader, and made friends with the Squid Sisters - all within a month,” she said matter-of-factly. “I’d argue most squids would find that extremely interesting.” _

_ She couldn’t really argue with that.  _

_ “Okay… well, uh. Twenty Questions?” She kept her hands close to her chest, unsure if she was allowed to do anything else with them. “How do you play?” _

_ Marie explained the rules patiently, despite it being fairly self-explanatory, already adding to the list of things she wanted to ask. “I’ll go first, if you don’t mind,” she continued, earning a shrug and a nod from the girl beside her.  _

_ “Alright,” she cleared her throat, deciding to go with something easy. “Do you prefer pineapple or no pineapple on your pizza?”  _

_ Jinx didn’t even have to think about it. “I don’t like pizza,” she said. “Don’t like tomato sauce. Is it my turn now?”  _

_ Marie held back her surprise. She’d never met a squid who didn’t like pizza; it was as much a staple as turf wars. But she didn’t dwell on it. “Mhm, go ahead.” _

_ “Okay… Uh. What did you do before you started singing?”  _

_ A grimace crossed the inkling’s face at the memory. “I worked at Walleye Warehouse with Callie,” she hated that place ever since. Avoided turf wars there like the plague. “The best part about that job was quitting.” _

_ They went back and forth like this for a little while, slowly counting up the number of questions so they didn’t go overboard - they did have to sleep at some point, after all. Learning little facts about each other, like how Jinx had six brothers and sisters, or how much Marie missed Calamari County sometimes. Favorite colors, foods, seasons. _

_ When they each had one question left, Marie really took the time to consider hers. She stored so much information away already, so now it was time for something impulsive.  _

_ “How long have you liked me?”  _

_ Jinx wasn’t prepared for that question. Her face flushed and she laughed nervously, glancing at the wall over Marie’s shoulder.  _

_ “Uh,” she swallowed. “A long time.”  _

_ Marie raised a brow, waiting for the rest.  _

_ “...since we met in person, I guess?” Another tiny chuckle. “So like. Four...months ago? Maybe five?” She couldn’t even remember how long ago Octo Valley had been.  _

_ “Oh,” was all Marie said, at first. She couldn’t say she was surprised, but at the same time… “Why on earth did you wait this long to say something?”  _

_ Jinx tipped her head a bit, like the question was perplexing. “You… you didn’t ask?” In her head, the answer was so obvious. “I mean. You’re not… the easiest person to get a read on, Marie. An’ I’m not the freshest squid on the block, so…”  _

_ The older inkling rolled her eyes. “I dropped hints everywhere,” she stated. “Anyway, last question is yours.” _

_ For a moment or two, there was quiet. Jinx gazed thoughtfully at that same spot on the wall, cheek pressed against Marie’s shoulder, listening to the distant thrum of her heartbeats. Then, without looking back at her companion, she spoke again. _

_ “...Same question. How...how long have you been…?”  _

_ She couldn’t even finish the thought without blushing again.  _

  
“Do you ever feel like we’re inside a giant fish tank in here?” 

Naturally, Marie tuned back in right as Callie blurted something so ridiculous it was almost philosophical. Turning her head just a bit so she could give her cousin a very heavy side-eye, Marie blinked once. Slowly. 

“No, but I think you’ve been stuck in here for too many hours and it’s messing with you,” she said, unable to keep the smirk off her face when Callie huffed indignantly. “We should go out for the next couple hours… I’m getting hungry, anyway.” 

Callie’s face lit up immediately at the suggestion. “Yes,  _ please _ ,” she hopped up out of her chair, waving enthusiastically at a few fans who had their faces pressed against the glass. The elated inklings waved back, shouting their ‘hello’s to the idol. “They’re so cute, y’know? I’m really glad we get the chance to make them happy.” 

“It’s a charmed life I suppose,” Marie shrugged, getting to her feet and smoothing a few of the sequins on her dress. “We should sneak out before they start asking for autographs--” 

She was about to turn for the back door when she spotted Jinx. Hands flat against the glass, russet eyes wide, brow creased. Immediately Marie was wary - she didn’t think she’d ever seen that expression on her partner before. They locked eyes for a moment, amber searching for answers that weren’t coming through, before the singer gestured toward the back of the studio and Jinx nodded a little in understanding.

“Marie?” Callie chimed in, concern lining her voice. “Is… is everything okay? She looks worried.” 

“I’ll talk to her,” Marie kept her words calm and collected, grabbing her hoodie from the coat hanger on her way toward the door. No use in stirring the pot without knowing what was going on. “I’m sure it’s fine. Can you go pick us up something for lunch, and we’ll meet back home?”

Her cousin hesitated at first, eyes following Jinx as long as she could while the inkling ran around the building. “...Yeah. Okay.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which three NSS agents are given reason to sharply question a truth they've always known.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We gettin' into it now!! I hope this is going okay for you all - the pacing is a little tricky and I don't want to give you too little or too much at once. This is the longest chapter yet at 8 pages! 
> 
> Enjoy!

As soon as Marie stepped outside of the studio, she found herself with an armful of Agent 3. Jinx buried her face against the older inkling’s shoulder, arms wrapped firmly around her. She didn’t say anything, but when Marie put a hand on her shoulder it was trembling. 

Something most definitely had her spooked. 

She didn’t make an effort to pry her girlfriend off of her, speaking softly and resting her other hand against the small of Jinx’s back. “What’s going on?” Then, to rule out a few options - “Is Gramps telling his old war stories again?”

It was a stupid question, she could already tell by the tight grip around her and Jinx’s odd silence. She wasn’t crying, wasn’t even whimpering - she was deathly quiet. Marie couldn’t imagine what might scare her like this.

A few seconds passed before Jinx finally spoke. Her voice shook, muffled by the soft green fabric she hid in. “Marie,” had she  _ been  _ crying? Words came out cracked and raspy. “I’m a bad person.” 

That struck an odd chord, giving Marie a list of possibilities for the state her companion was in. Had someone threatened her? Did some squid too big for their boots harass her enough to get under her skin? Was it to do with their relationship? She’d expected some kind of backlash, but imagining that it had actually come to pass vexed her. 

“Whoever told you that is likely just jealous,” she kept her voice level despite the growing irritation at the unknown agitator. “Not everyone can be--”

“ _ No _ ,” Jinx cut her off sharply, lifting her head and gazing at her girlfriend with so much guilt on her face - it was a haunted look. “No, Marie, I’m a bad person! I’ve been doing  _ horrible  _ things to innocent people! There’s people dying, there are  _ kids _ down there who didn’t do  _ anything wrong _ \--” 

Her words grew louder and more frantic with each one, the trembling in her shoulders overtaking her whole body the more hysterical she became. It was jarring, seeing the bright and outgoing girl so distressed. Marie found herself wishing she hadn’t asked Callie to take off; she wasn’t equipped to handle this kind of thing.

“Jinx--  _ Jinx,”  _ they couldn’t have this conversation here. She made an executive decision on that. “Come on. Let’s go home, and we can sit down and talk there. Callie’s picking up lunch.” Blanket nests and food were always a surefire way to bring the light back to those brown eyes, if Marie had learned anything over the last several months. 

They stood there another minute so that Jinx could collect herself at least a tiny bit, so she could stop shaking enough to move. Marie took her hand, twining their fingers together and giving a gentle squeeze. A part of the physical language that she’d picked up - just a small notion of ‘ _ I’m here _ .’

After her outburst, Jinx went straight back to being eerily quiet as they walked back to the apartment. She held Marie’s hand like it was a lifeline, gaze fixed to the ground. 

Callie was waiting there when they stepped through the door together, dressed down in her favorite tank and bright pink hoodie, pulling take-out containers from a paper bag. She turned to greet her friends, looking first to Jinx and then at Marie for some kind of clarification. 

“Is everything okay? What’s going on…?” She asked carefully, as Marie led the shorter girl to the kitchen counter. Callie pressed the back of her hand to Jinx’s forehead, seeming to snap her out of her daze as wide eyes looked up at her friend. 

Marie stepped in first. “Let’s eat first, no sense having this conversation on empty stomachs.” She was stalling, she knew she was, but what little she’d gotten out of her girlfriend made her wary of what the bottom line was. She pressed a tiny kiss to Jinx’s temple, carefully slipping her hand away. “I’m going to go get changed, but I’ll be right back.” 

And then, to Callie as she passed - “I’m going to need your help with this one, Cal. Something’s really wrong.”

Callie nodded without hesitation. “Gotcha.” 

As the bedroom door closed, the dark-haired inkling grabbed one of the containers off of the counter. “Hey,” she said. “Let’s go throw on a movie and have some lunch, okay?” While it was a suggestion, for all accounts and purposes, there was no room for argument. 

Jinx seemed dazed when she looked up again. She  _ felt  _ it. Everything in her head was swimming and she thought she might drown in the mess, in the confusion. She’d never had an identity crisis before but she couldn’t help but think that’s what it was. Like her whole purpose in life was wrong. 

She nodded anyway, slowly, and wrung her hands together as she followed back into the living room. 

Callie plopped down onto the couch, Jinx taking a seat a bit more gently beside her. She didn’t say anything, hoping that if she took a minute more to process she could speak clearly. Just another minute. And maybe another one after that. 

“C’mon, eat something,” her friend continued like it was just a normal afternoon. The buttery smell of something deep fried wafted toward her as the box was opened, and she hadn’t eaten all day, but it made Jinx’s stomach twist.

“I’m not hungry,” she said quietly, swallowing down the nausea. 

Callie rolled her eyes. “Just eat a little. It’ll make you feel better.” 

No, she was pretty sure it wouldn’t. She took a piece from the container without looking, if only to placate the insistent inkling, nibbling on it half-heartedly. Her stomach pitched violently when the taste hit her tongue, but she only took a deep breath and tried to work through it. 

“So, what’s on your mind?” 

Talking with Callie was a double-edged sword of sorts, where she didn’t mince words. She wasn’t afraid to jump into situations that might wind up uncomfortable. It was perfect for avoiding awkward silences, but cut-throat for Jinx, who had absolutely no idea how to answer that question. She still couldn’t string together enough words to make complete sentences. 

They sat there in the quiet. Callie waiting, watching, patient for the response she wanted. Jinx stared down at the crispy thing in her hand, identified it as fried shrimp and wondered how weird that must be for Crusty Sean. She waited until she heard the bedroom door open, heard the soft steps as Marie came back to settle down beside her on the couch. 

Sitting there between her two closest friends, she should have felt safer. But all she could think about were the words of DJ Octavio. 

It haunted her. What if things had been different for her? What if she had been born underground? If she’d been an octoling instead of an inkling? Would she be living in constant terror that society would crumble around her at any moment? Was that a fear  _ they  _ all lived with? When did it become a battle of ‘Us versus Them’? The onslaught kept repeating over and over in her mind, drowning out everything else--

“Whoa, Jinx, hey--” Callie’s voice. Callie was still there, sounding distant at first until there was a hand on her shoulder. Another from the other side, cradling the back of her head. 

Her cheeks felt damp. When did that happen…?

Marie couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen Jinx cry. In the last nine months since they met, she didn’t think she had. Usually the girl was upbeat, energetic! Ready to cook Octos and win ranked battles, any day of the week. What was it she’d said earlier? Something about being a bad person? Two pairs of amber eyes met across the couch and Callie nodded knowingly. 

Time to tag team.

Carefully, Callie took the uneaten food from Jinx’s hands. Marie moved in and pulled her close, at a complete loss for words but knowing that in times like this, the younger girl wouldn’t be able to use them anyway. Marie smoothed her hand down Jinx’s back, letting her girlfriend curl up against her chest and bury her face once again into the soft fabric of her hoodie. 

Jinx’s shoulders heaved and shook with the force of her hysterical sobs. 

Marie squeezed her tighter, resting her cheek against purple tentacles. Callie scooted in too, leaning over and resting against Jinx’s back. It was a little ridiculous, a veritable Squid Sister sandwich, but it was closeness and pressure and as much safety as they could give. They took turns singing to her, soft versions of their own singles and even a toned down rendition of the Calamari Inkantation, losing track of the minutes ticking by until the muffled sobs quieted back into soft hiccups. Occasional whimpers.

Then… quiet. 

No one moved for a little while, not willing to take the chance that all was well. Marie caught Callie’s eye, the latter still humming softly, and they held a brief conversation in the shared gaze. 

Callie was the first to move, very slowly shifting away to avoid spooking the girl between them. “I’m gonna go make some coffee, yeah? I’ll be right back.” She kissed the back of Jinx’s head as she passed.

For a moment or two, Marie wondered if Jinx had fallen asleep. She listened for the more even breathing but it still hitched occasionally, and she sat there running her fingertips up and down the girl’s back as she wondered what to say that would help. Not for the first time, she considered just how much she struggled to support anyone’s emotions besides her own and Callie’s. 

She wasn’t entirely without empathy, that wasn’t the case at all. Her reach just fell short of anyone not within her immediate circle, and while she and Jinx had been friends for just shy of a year now, something like half of that time had been spent together like this. Only one month since they put the label on it, and with an internal grimace she realized that she had been taking her sweet time getting in touch with Jinx’s feelings. She thought she had time, when nothing showed signs of changing… this was completely out of the blue.

Time to learn on the job. At least Marie was good at thinking on her feet, and had the patience of the Great Zapfish itself - thank cod she’d been a quick study on the Charger. 

“Hey,” she said, gently, tapping lightly between her girlfriend’s shoulders. Getting her attention in her language. 

Jinx shifted a tiny bit, turning her head and resting her cheek on Marie’s shoulder as opposed to having her face shoved completely into the crook of her neck. She didn’t answer.

Marie went on. “I’m not sure what got you so riled… and you don’t  _ have  _ to talk about it if you aren’t ready.”

She paused to leave room for a reply, but was met with silence again.

“...But when you  _ do  _ want to talk, you can. We can,” maybe if  _ she  _ kept talking, the right words would miraculously fall out of her mouth. “If you start at the beginning, let me know what set you off…that might help? I know you can have a hard time when your brain gets scrambled.” 

Marie didn’t ramble often. She didn’t see the point, when she was generally very good at expressing what she needed to in a few simple words. She supposed the fact that she was trying so hard meant that she cared more than she thought.

After what felt like a lifetime, Jinx took a deep breath and lifted her head, red-rimmed eyes weary and helpless. She didn’t move away from her comfortable spot pressed against Marie, her safe space, fingers twisting loosely in soft fabric. She loved this hoodie. She liked to steal it and slip it on when Marie was away, bring the cuffs of the too-big sleeves up to her nose and draw in the familiar scent. 

She knew she had to calm down, and she was honestly trying. Being here helped, it always helped. “‘M sorry,” her voice came out weak and raspy. She cleared her throat, gazing up at Marie’s face like she had all the answers. That wasn’t fair, and she knew that, to put so much pressure on one person. “I didn’t mean to panic, I don’t...know what came over me.” 

The gentle clinking of mugs and spoons in the kitchen filled the brief silences in their quiet conversation. The bubbling hiss of the perca and the sweet smell of coffee came next, reminding Jinx that she was at home. She let her mind rattle off more calming thoughts, like how deceptively sweet Marie liked her java and how Callie only drank it black because she was “sweet enough already.” 

Though a pang of guilt struck her when that thought roused more troubling ones - did octolings have coffee in the mornings? Did they joke and prod at each other about how sweet or bitter their friends liked it? Did they even have access to the commodity down there? Probably not. Coffee was hard to come by as it was, even Callie and Marie only made it for certain occasions. 

The feeling swelled in her chest, tightened in her throat and she swallowed to try and alleviate it. 

“Marie?” She croaked, easily catching the idol’s attention. “Do you ever think about octolings?” 

Well, Marie couldn’t say she was expecting that one. “I think about what a nuisance they are,” she couldn’t keep the mild annoyance out of her tone. “And how much havoc they’d wreak if they ever reached the surface.”

“And the sound they make when ya run ‘em over with a roller!” Callie chimed in, bringing over a small tray with three steaming mugs and setting it on the small table in the living room. “KERSPLAT! Never gets old~”

Jinx grimaced. “That’s…really not what I meant.” And if she was being honest, it just made the guilt worse. “I mean do you ever think that...maybe we aren’t. Doing the right thing?”

She held her breath as she felt both pairs of eyes lock on her. Bracing for the response that they’d all been conditioned to give, to that kind of suggestion.

“Jinx, that’s ridiculous--” Marie started, almost laughing at the sentiment that they were anything but the force of good in the world fighting back a menace.

“Hold on,” Callie raised a hand toward her cousin. Giving pause to all three of them. “What do you mean, Jinx? Like, in going after the octarians?” 

And while the very idea was preposterous as far as Marie was concerned, the look on Jinx’s face was unmistakable. Resignation. 

“...we just,” she sounded so unsure of herself, she must have been so sure they were going to throw her out of the apartment if she said what was on her mind. “We go into their homes. We hunt them down  _ where they live _ , and just...destroy everything.” Russet eyes met with Marie’s, flicking back toward Callie for validation.

They were supposed to be fighting for peace and happiness. For everyone. 

“They’re people. They’re cephalings just like us, with a society that we’re depriving them an energy source for...That doesn’t feel  _ wrong  _ to you?”

Now it was Marie and Callie’s turn to exchange glances. Luckily they had mastered the art of having conversations without a single word - Marie held onto her initial thoughts, that something had brainwashed her girlfriend. Callie, on the other hand, looked like she was actually  _ considering  _ it. 

Well, someone had to be the voice of reason. Careful not to get accusatory, Marie shifted a little so she could sit up. Not enough to jostle their friend too badly, but enough that she could press her palm to Jinx’s cheek. 

“Have you been talking to DJ Octavio, love?” She asked, though she was fairly certain she knew the answer.

Was that a hint of betrayal in Jinx’s eyes? Oh. That was worse than she thought it would be. 

“So what if I have?” She countered. “It’s still true. Haven’t you ever thought about it?” She moved to accommodate, sitting up with her hands on Marie’s thighs. Pleading with her to not shrug this off. She had to know that she wasn’t crazy, that she wasn’t the only one. 

Callie settled back down at last, circling a fingertip around the rim of her cup. “It’s not an easy decision, Jinx,” she assured, earning a sharp look from Marie. “But we do what has to be done, y’know? We’ve gotta protect Inkopolis.”

The younger inkling turned toward her. “What if it were the other way around? What if it was them coming up here to splat us? Wouldn’t that feel totally unfair, for the inklings that didn’t do anything wrong to them?” 

Marie sighed, dropping her hand and pinching the bridge of her nose. 

“Yeah, some of them are actively fighting us - but what about the ones that aren’t? What about the octolings minding their own business, when we take back the zapfish and then suddenly their entire  _ society _ starts collapsing around them?” The more she thought about it, the more it made sense to Jinx. She was starting to sound more frantic. “What did they do to deserve that kind of terrifying experience?!”

“ _ Jinx, _ ” Marie finally took her by the shoulders, catching her attention again, nearly shaking a look of surprise out of Jinx. “Enough. Listen to yourself. You’re letting Octavio get under your skin.” Steady and firm, leaving little room for argument. She relented marginally when surprise melted into something a little like defeat, smoothing her palms down the girl’s arms to take her hands. 

It wasn’t her imagination that Callie was watching her, either. She didn’t need the pair of them ganging up on her - she had to de-escalate. 

“Come on. Let’s have a bath, the hot water will help. We can talk more after that,” she leaned in to kiss Jinx’s forehead, thankful she wasn’t upset enough to draw back. 

With one last ‘drop it’ look at her cousin, Marie stood and tugged her distraught girlfriend along with her. The bathroom door closed behind them. 

Callie took a deep breath, exhaling heavily and staring into the dark liquid in her cup. The other two sat, untouched and growing cold, on the table. 

She didn’t think Jinx was crazy. How could she, when she’d wondered the same things? Still, the source was untrustworthy. She saw the look Marie had shot at her. She knew. It would have been naive of her not to. 

Maybe she should just...stop thinking so much about it. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things seem to calm down for a minute. Maybe two. But Splatfest is just around the corner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wowie zowie y'all, I'm so glad you're enjoying this story! I know I say that every chapter but I'm still pleasantly surprised~ 
> 
> The creative "translated" lyrics to Tide Goes Out are courtesy of LizzieBiz over on youtube - if you get a chance to check it out, she has a very sweet voice and the lyrics are pretty cool! Granted there is no real translation to anything in Splatoon music, but I really like this rendition.
> 
> We're getting into the end of the pre-written chapters, but I'll update where I can. I still have plenty of steam in me. Enjoy!

For the longest time, it was almost impossible to get Jinx anywhere near water. Hygiene was something Marie vowed to make her better about the second they started unofficially dating, and after a few weeks of hard work it was finally a consistent thing. She found it was good incentive when she offered to help.

As it turned out, one of Agent 3’s favorite pastimes was cuddling - and if there just so happened to be hot water and no clothes involved, it didn’t deter her. 

The Squid Sisters had a modest apartment for what they could’ve afforded if they wanted to, but one thing they both agreed to splurge on was a bathtub that could fit at least two full grown inklings. The money wasn’t wasted; the cousins had been bathing together since they were kids, and especially now that Jinx lived with them it was a luxury they were happy they could afford.

A soft layer of steam clouded the bathroom from the heat of the water as the pair lounged in the tub, Marie’s back pressed against the side. Loose tentacles dipped into the water on either side of her shoulders, and she dipped her hands below the surface to bring palm-fulls of soapy water up and over Jinx’s skin. The motion became repetitive and she closed her eyes, keeping her breathing even in hopes that it would encourage her girlfriend to do the same.

Back to the older girl, Jinx stared wearily into the swirling water and occasional bubbles, letting Marie’s touch convey what she needed to hear. She tried to relax, she really did, and at least the panic had ebbed away. In its place, though, a kind of empty misery hung around. She had no idea what to do with herself. 

What  _ could  _ she do? It wasn’t even night yet and she was just so tired. 

Fingertips brushed against the back of her neck and jolted her out of her trance, a shiver trickling down her back as nerve endings came to life. Suddenly she was aware that every sound had felt far away, like she was underwater, until that moment when she could hear Marie singing to her. 

She loved Marie’s voice. And the melody was soothing and familiar, and she leaned back against her partner’s chest and closed her eyes to listen. 

“... _ when the tide goes out, and the sea falls out of sight, I hope it finds you… _ ”

It was so gentle, Jinx thought for a second that she might cry. She reached for Marie’s hand, halting its movement and just… holding on. Feeling the vibrato against her cheek. 

“ _ In the dark of night, when the moon is in the sky, do you see it too…? _ ” 

She had only heard Marie practice this song, never on stage. She would remember. She remembered every performance that the Squid Sisters had ever done; after the events of Octo Valley, she’d made a point to start paying attention to the pop stars and their work. They always had so much fun when they did shows. Callie was always bouncy and excitable anyway, but to see Marie let loose like that… 

_ “...We could be worlds away, but we meet each day when the tide comes to bay… _ ” 

...How long had she just been sitting there thinking about her girlfriend? Jinx felt her cheeks flush, and while she could blame it on the heat, she would much rather let herself revel in the flutters in her stomach that came along with remembering that this inkling was here. With her. Giving a tiny performance,  _ just  _ for her. Plus, the acoustics in the bathroom were really impressive. 

“ _ ...Oh, don’t you see? It is me waving to you… _ ~” 

“I love that song,” Jinx sighed dreamily.. “You should record it.” 

A soft laugh spilled from Marie’s lips and she tipped her head. “It’s a work in progress,” she said. Then, determined not to let silence slip back in-- “I was trying to tell Callie a story the other day. I can’t remember how it goes, the one with your sister and the toothpaste?”

The memory seemed like ages ago now, but Jinx could still see it playing out clearly in her mind’s eye. “Yeah, with the record player... “ She didn’t elaborate though, the fog was fading but she was too tired to talk. “Later.” Turning her head to allow for it, she nuzzled against Marie’s neck and pressed a kiss against her skin.

“Careful with those kisses, love,” Marie teased. “I have to do the news in an hour. I don’t think Inkopolis needs to be buzzing with gossip about bite marks, and I don’t have any scarves that go with my dress.” 

Jinx giggled at the thought, slowly but surely starting to come back into herself. “Y’did just fine fielding questions last time,” she said, dropping another kiss a bit higher up - against the edge of Marie’s jaw. Coaxed on by the  _ barely  _ audible gasp it earned her. “What did you say? You took a charger shot right in the neck?” 

“You’re awful,” there was no venom in the accusation, and no struggle when Jinx shifted to sit on her lap. On the contrary, she slid her hands down her partner’s back and pulled her closer. She wasn’t going to argue - it got them away from the topic that had created so much nervous tension in such a short time. If this was the kind of distraction that was necessary, Marie would take that added bonus. 

Despite how long they’d been together - what was it going on, four months now? Officially? That sounded right. But despite all that time and all the passion they both poured into every kiss and every touch, their activities hadn’t ventured past this. Jinx hadn’t asked, and Marie respected that. They were both perfectly comfortable with make-out sessions, for lack of a classier term, and clothes were always optional. 

It remained, if nothing else, the best method of communication for Jinx. And Marie was learning quickly.

When Jinx leaned in to kiss her, it was nothing short of baring her soul. She liked to cradle Marie’s face between her palms and pull her closer, every time; the translation something similar to ‘you’re more precious to me than anything.’ 

Responding with practiced ease, Marie slipped a palm up from the dip in her girlfriend’s lower back, to press her fingertips in between her shoulders. A spot that seemed to ease any tension Jinx carried. 

The younger girl melted predictably into the touch, breaking away from the kiss and instead trailing her lips from the corner of Marie’s mouth to the edge of her cheek. Running her hands down over neck, shoulders, one finding a pale tentacle and stroking thoughtfully. As she kissed her way along Marie’s neck, she felt the soft hum of approval before she heard it and her pride swelled at the ‘reward.’ 

Smiling to herself, Marie tipped her head despite her prior protests and gave Jinx more room to lavish attention across her skin, working her fingers in small circles down the length of her partner’s back and relishing in each little inch that she scooted closer in response. Each touch praised her, encouraged her, told her what she needed to hear. 

_ ‘I’m here. I’m yours.’ _

Jinx nuzzled her face into the exposed crook of Marie’s neck after a few minutes, body pressing seamlessly against the taller form. She wound her arms around Marie and held on, in a grip that suggested she wasn’t planning on letting go anytime soon.

Now she was comfortable, and she was terrified to lose that. Here, she could pretend this morning never happened.

  
In the very first in a series of mistakes that Jinx and Marie had no idea they were making, they never spoke of the ‘morality panic’ again. Thoughts of the conversation swirled down the drain with the bath water the instant it cooled off. Octo Valley fell back into the past where it belonged. 

Jinx stopped running recon. She stopped talking about it, stopped thinking about it. Pushed it to the back of her mind and locked it away, until at last she felt more like herself.

Three more months flew by like a total dream, as far as Jinx was concerned. Things shifted and changed, of course - inklings were starting to talk about a separate portion of the city, Inkopolis Square, where it seemed like all the ‘cool squids’ were partying it up. She’d heard the news from Sean; it sounded like he was trying to pack up shop and start a legitimate food business over there.

Though it was growing difficult for the Squid Sisters to go out in public with their rising popularity, they couldn’t stay in their apartment all day long. Jinx whined at her girlfriend for a lunch date one afternoon and Marie indulged her, throwing on her cap and face mask along with her casual standby outfit. 

“Did you know they’re building a new studio over in Inkopolis Square?” Jinx asked as they stepped out into the street, reaching for Marie’s hand without a second thought. 

The older girl reached back and squeezed her girlfriend’s hand, a movement so familiar she didn’t have to think about it anymore. “I heard something about that,” she said as they walked toward the open space of the plaza. “They’ve been putting a lot of new stores over there recently. I keep thinking I should go check it out.”

Jinx shrugged. She scuffed one of her cherry blossom high tops against the pavement. Then, quite abruptly, she asked, “What’s the next splatfest here gonna be?” Brown eyes glanced up expectantly. 

Marie looked at her, mildly surprised by the question. “I thought you didn’t like turf wars?” Last she checked, that was the case. She played, but preferred ranked battles if she absolutely had to go into the lobby… but they hadn’t been able to spend as much time together in the last few weeks, work picking up like it had. They were, in fact, planning for the next fest. 

Another shrug. “Turns out they’re not so bad!” She beamed. Conveniently leaving out the fact that they were a good distraction. “I’ve just been super bored lately, so I thought I’d give it a go.” 

It seemed a bit abrupt, but Marie didn’t pry. She scoped their usual haunts around the plaza, leading her companion to a small sweet shop they liked to frequent. “I imagine you’re pretty good at it, all things considered. As long as you enjoy it…” 

Jinx almost shrugged again, but stopped herself when she realized she’d done it twice already. Some of Marie’s nonchalance must have rubbed off on her. She quickly stepped a beat ahead and grabbed the door, holding it open with a bright smile. “I’m having fun! Sheldon’s weapons don’t really stand up to the hero shot, but they’re pretty creative!” 

They got a table near the back, where the gentle chatter from the kitchen could be heard over the sound of oven doors opening and closing, and trays scraping on counter tops. The smells wafting out were absolutely  _ heavenly _ . 

“So, Splatfest?” Jinx pried as they settled in, expression bordering somewhere between eager and...desperate? “What’s coming up? It’s been a couple months, time for a new one, right?” 

Since the start of their relationship, Marie had been catching more and more meaning behind Agent 3’s tones and movement. She took pride in knowing things no one else did. This… seemed off somehow. Like something wasn’t right. Again, she held back from asking, hoping maybe Jinx would explain on her own. 

“They haven’t told us yet,” she admitted, leaning her elbow onto the table and propping her chin up on her palm. “I kind of wish they would. Callie’s starting to get antsy, and it’s contagious.” 

Jinx’s face fell just a bit, bouncing her knee beneath the table and rubbing at the back of her neck. “Didn’t you used to get the ideas from an old...machine? Thing?” She was grasping at straws. She needed something to do, so badly. 

“Oh, that thing stopped working a few weeks ago,” The answer was almost rehearsed, like she’d answered it a million times. Marie was too busy paying attention to the increasing anxiety brimming in her companion. “We’re just waiting on our manager to make the final call. As far as I know, it’s going to be the last splatfest we ever do, so it’ll probably be some kind of gimmick for that--” 

Mid-sentence, Marie reached down and grabbed the edge of the table. Forcing it to stop wiggling, locking eyes with her girlfriend across the surface and reaching out with her other hand to grip one of Jinx’s. 

“Talk,” she said, quietly. “Something’s on your mind. You’re twitchy.”

Six months ago, she would have let it go. But this was spiralling quickly, and if it got out of hand, she wasn’t prepared for it to go south. Agent 3’s emotions were fast and intense, and Callie was still helping her work through that particular road block.

Jinx swallowed, hard, consciously making the effort to stop her anxious bouncing and scrambling for an answer. Why was she so nervous about this? It wasn’t like she was doing anything  _ bad. _ Lots of inklings liked turf wars, there was nothing strange about it. 

“I’m fine,” she insisted, forcing a smile and perhaps a bit too much cheer into her voice. “I just, y’know, I was so focused on NSS stuff before that I didn’t do a lotta turf wars. Turns out they’re a lot of fun! I wanna get more into the scene, and--”

“Stop,” Marie wasn’t having it. Even with the mask covering half of her face, she managed to portray that she didn’t buy it even for a second. “You hate team sports. Why are you suddenly so interested?” 

“It’s… it’s something you’re really involved in?” Jinx tried again, this time her argument sounding weaker. 

“Mm,” still no dice. 

The shorter girl took one more deep breath, her shoulders slumping forward when she exhaled. “Callie told me I needed a hobby,” was the final confession, brown eyes dropping away from Marie’s and staring instead at the table. “That I was starting to get...punchy.”

When she used to get like that, she would go to Octo Valley to blow off steam. That option wasn’t on the table anymore - she was trying so hard not to think about it, but DJ Octavio’s words still echoed in the back of her mind sometimes. What else could she do? Turf wars were just enough to keep her occupied.

Marie’s brow creased when the truth came out. “Why didn’t you just tell me?” She prodded. “That’s not unreasonable. Plus, it could help you make some friends.” Now that she thought about it, she couldn’t remember ever seeing Jinx hang out with anyone besides her and her cousin.

Jinx shrugged, earning a sigh from her partner. 

“I’ll tell you about Splatfest as soon as I know. In the meantime,” Marie sat up again, letting go of the table and Jinx’s hand. “Maybe you could find a team you can join up with.” Not that she was much of a team player herself - her expertise lay in chargers, after all. And she and Callie worked flawlessly together. 

Jinx promised to consider it, however reluctantly, and the conversation drifted away from the topic when a particularly cheerful jellyfish wandered over to take their order. He bobbed his way back to the kitchen afterward and they were alone again.

“It just feels like so much is changing,” the purple-tentacled inkling sighed, turning her gaze toward the windows at the front of the shop. Inklings scattered about the plaza as usual, walking with their friends and talking animatedly, waiting for the next news segment to come on. 

It all looked just as it always did, but ever since word of Inkopolis Square started spreading, there rested a heavy feeling in the air. Something she couldn’t quite place. 

Marie hummed thoughtfully at the sentiment. “Well, we are always reminding everyone to stay fresh. Change isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” she pointed out. “Maybe you should learn to embrace it.”

Jinx fidgeted a little in her seat. Because Marie wasn’t wrong, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. 

There was nothing left to do but wait.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final Splatfest is announced, and despite the initial reaction, everything is fine!
> 
> Everything is completely fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything...
> 
> ...is totally fine.

The announcement garnered mixed reactions, when it finally came to light a few weeks later. 

Callie and Marie were told beforehand just what the gimmick was for the final splatfest, the one that would assure they went out with a bang. It took a moment for the information to sink in, both Squid Sisters not sure if they were excited or uncomfortable with the concept.

Marie was the first to recover, as always, keeping her cool and reminding Callie that it was just a game. It wasn’t personal, it wasn’t going to change anything between them. Callie, not nearly as good at hiding how she felt, kept a worried knot in her brow as they walked out of their manager’s office that afternoon. 

“But Marie,” she said, worry heavy in her tone. “We’ve been a team since we were kids… This just. Doesn’t feel right to me, pitting us against each other like this!”

Offering a reassuring smile, Marie rested a hand on her cousin’s shoulder. “We’re _still_ a team. Anyway, it’s all in good fun - it’ll just be another splatfest, like all the others. We announce it next month, everyone gets hyped, blah, blah, blah.”

Callie didn’t look impressed. 

“We throw a huge party, there’s music, dancing - maybe we can even do a couple of our solo performances, yeah?” Marie kept trying. She knew Callie better than anyone, knew how to untangle the web of thoughts being woven in her head. She gave a gentle squeeze, tilting her head to catch the other girl’s gaze. “Everything will be alright. You’ll see.”

It was just a popularity contest. Marie saw no reason for concern.

She brought it up as casually as talking about the weather that evening, when Jinx got home and vaulted over the back of the couch with a big grin on her face. 

“Oh man, you guys were spectating today right?” The younger inkling shot both fists into the air, breathless and excited. “Splat zones was intense! We were hanging back a little and then in the last minute, we just completely took over!”

Callie leaned on her elbows over the back of the couch, her usual bright smile only the tiniest bit subdued. “I saw! You guys really made ‘em sweat, huh?” 

Marie smiled at her phone, tuned in as she scrolled through Squidder. “They know a professional when they see one. Did you get any contact info from your teammates?” 

Jinx rolled her eyes. “Nah. They were okay, but I can’t just stay with the same team every battle - gotta switch it up, keep it fresh, right?” She folded her hands behind her head, still grinning from ear to ear.

“Well,” Callie went on. “I’m glad you’re getting that extra energy out. Sitting around here and being bored wasn’t doing you any good.” 

“Everyone’s getting hype for Splatfest - I actually can’t wait to join in!” 

“Oh,” Marie jumped in again, finding her opening and never taking her gaze away from her phone. “We learned the theme for that today. It’s ‘Callie vs Marie.’” 

Callie’s smile wavered, noticeably, and Jinx’s expression dropped into a blank stare. Brown eyes darted toward the older girl, a silence falling over the apartment save for the gentle tap of Marie’s thumb against the screen. 

No one could say how long that quiet lasted, though it certainly felt like a lifetime. Slowly, Jinx glanced up at Callie, taking in the crestfallen expression that the singer made no attempt to hide, already worried over what she might be thinking. There was genuine concern there, a fear that Jinx didn’t recognize right away.

“...Are-- are you sure that’s a good idea?” Jinx finally asked, turning back to watch Marie for any signs of the same discomfort. 

Marie only shrugged. “It seems cliche to me,” she said. “Like they were really scrambling for ideas and just threw out the first thing that sounded ‘tense.’” When she tore her eyes away from the LCD screen at last, she smiled a little. 

“You’re acting like it’s the end of the world. I promise, it’s not that big a deal.”

Jinx shifted a bit, once more turning to Callie. 

Because no matter what Marie said, no one was really sure what was going to happen. And Jinx couldn’t help but feel like there was something she wasn’t being told, that founded the worry plain on Callie’s face. 

The instant she realized she was being watched, though, the bubbly girl forced a grin onto her face. “Hey, Marie’s right, y’know?” She assured, straightening up and stretching toward the ceiling. “It’s just gonna be a good time! Good ol’ Splatfest. You’re gonna have such a blast, Jinx, they’re a lot of fun!” 

While Marie seemed placated, Jinx remained unsure, but she didn’t voice her concerns. She held the worry in her heart for the next couple of weeks until it was finally announced for the public. 

Even on screen, Callie kept a happy face through the whole thing. She bantered back and forth with her cousin, their quips coming across as snarky as usual but not meaning any real harm. Jinx watched the news on the big screen in the plaza, surrounded by other inklings that all started talking excitedly around her. 

“Is this really the last Splatfest?!”

“Oh, I’m totally going Team Callie, she’s so fresh!”

“Are you squidding me?? Team Marie, all the way!”

The energy was nothing but upbeat and exciting. It was even mildly contagious, and Jinx took a deep breath and let herself believe that everything was going to be okay. She even went to the pledge box to pick her team without debating too hard with herself! 

She joined Team Callie to avoid making it look like she was playing favorites. 

Also, so that members of her own team weren’t out for her ink all ‘fest. 

Truly, she hadn’t  _ heard  _ any rumors or nasty words being spread across Inkopolis. It wasn’t exactly a secret that she and Marie were dating, but if it mattered to anyone, Jinx wouldn’t know. It was almost unsettling, how turbulent things  _ weren’t _ . Maybe she was just expecting too much out of her fellow squids.

Callie and Marie spent the next couple of weeks preparing. They both seemed the tiniest bit on edge, but with some reassurance, Jinx let herself be consoled into thinking it was just because the event was so big. She filled whatever spare time she could with practice - running recon on a few of the stages whenever they changed, playing practice rounds with a different team every time. 

They had small moments of respite where all three of them wound up in the same place, but they were brief and unsatisfying, and Jinx switched tactics to avoid the frustration: she avoided the apartment. Her breaks in between matches were spent wandering the plaza, window shopping. 

It was safe to say the Squid Sisters noticed. At first, Marie didn’t question it - it was normal for them to miss each other once in awhile. When three days had gone by, she knew something was up. 

Slipping into the apartment to the sound of life stirring from the kitchen, Marie quickly closed the door behind her and stealthily flicked the lock. Callie, after all, had taken off to find someplace quiet to make a phone call. It could only be Jinx.

“You know,” she stepped toward the kitchen, folding her hands behind her back and squashing down the mild annoyance that came from being ignored. “I’m gonna have to kick you out of the bed if you don’t take a bath soon.” 

Something clattered onto the counter, then some scrambling and a dull ‘thud,’ and when she crossed onto the wooden floor Jinx was crouched down and rubbing the back of her head. Marie pressed a palm onto the counter, leaning over and half-smiling.

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

Jinx winced when she looked up, one eye half-closed and the other starting to water from the throbbing in the back of her head. “I thought you were sleeping,” she said.

“Take a break,” Marie segued immediately. “It’s been a week since we actually spent time together.” 

They spent an afternoon with each other, talking about nothing of real consequence. Turf war stories, teammates who didn’t listen, brief glimpses into what was keeping everyone apart. Only brief, though. Callie had been going to auditions, for movie roles and TV spots. Marie had been working on a few solo pieces, including the one she’d been practicing. 

Jinx helped to tie Marie’s tentacles back up before she had to go back to the studio. They sat with each other in comfortable silence for a few more minutes, shared a chaste kiss, and parted ways as they’d done so many times before. And the weeks proceeded on as normal, until the launch of Splatfest.

\--

Jinx grew up in a quiet little coastal town called Barnacle Bay, with her father and her six siblings. She was the second-oldest, which meant most of her free time was dedicated to watching her younger siblings when their dad had to work late - she never complained about it. 

The realization hit her in the very first match of the Splatfest, that growing up with only  _ younger  _ siblings had been ridiculously beneficial to her battle style. She was quick, ducking and dipping in and out of ink, her aim honed by her time in Octo Valley. Even better, no one could sneak up on her. With the tiniest drop of ink into the puddles around her she could turn, lightning-fast, and splat before she was splatted.

Granted, she still wound up back at the spawn point on more than one occasion. She wasn’t perfect and snipers were always her Achille’s Heel. The added challenge inspired her to keep going, and as more and more rounds passed she found she was really and truly enjoying herself. A couple of her teammates even caught up with her after matches, all bright smiles and excited talk about it.

“That was so fresh, how you did that side-step thing right when the charger was about to splat you!” One inkling boy with bright eyes hopped from foot to foot, beaming at Jinx.

A smaller girl with her tentacles tied up in a top bow nodded enthusiastically. “How did you even see him coming??”

And Jinx, completely lost on the topic of making new friends, laughed sheepishly and shrugged. “Five baby squidlings,” she confessed. “You learn to grow eyes in the back of your head, I guess!” 

Match after match, with break times for snacks. The first twelve hours of the Splatfest seemed to fly by, and any worries she’d harbored at the start went with the time. She met up with Callie and Marie for an early dinner in their downtime, limited by their performances in the Plaza, hugged Callie tight and kissed Marie square on the mouth in her excitement. 

She kissed Marie, in the middle of the crowded Plaza.

She didn’t think about it. She felt Marie smile against her mouth and kiss her back, and she didn’t think about it. Only when Callie giggled and the music died down a little did she realize what she’d done.

“Oh wow,” the pink-toned inkling stifled behind her hand, a grin spread wide across her face. 

Hands still holding Marie’s face between them, Jinx’s eyes went wide as she pulled away. She felt… many eyes on them. On  _ her _ . Very slowly, she turned her head to face the crowd of inklings who were watching very intently.

Marie waited a moment, feeling the seconds drag on slower than ever as she caught one of her girlfriend’s retreating hands. “Now, hold on--” She started.

She was interrupted by a cacophony of cheers, whooping and hollering from the crowd around them. Everyone, absolutely  _ everyone  _ was clapping and chorusing, a burst of positivity that washed over the whole Plaza. 

Some were congratulating them, some were pointing and yelling “That’s her, that’s Marie’s girlfriend!!” over the noise. And through it all, Jinx could feel her hearts pounding hard. 

“What-- what just happened?” Brown eyes turned back to Marie, still wide with shock. 

Marie laughed, shaking her head a tiny bit. “I think you’re a hit,” she said simply, leaning back in and kissing Jinx’s forehead. “Now go kick my team’s ass.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's all go have a wonderful final splatfest! :)


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whoever said you can't run away from your problems never met Agent 3.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No notes before this one!
> 
> Enjoy!

_ The hallways are dark. The hallways are always dark, she’s used to that - what’s different about it this time, are the red lights that flash rhythmically alongside the blaring of an alarm. Everyone knows what that means, but she’s only heard horror stories of it - nothing ever actually happened! Years of drills should have left her prepared, but she’s panicking as she runs. Her chest heaves and burns with the exertion, boots skidding across the metal floor when she takes a turn too sharply and has to brace her palm against the opposite wall. _

_ She uses it as leverage to vault herself down the next hallway. _

_ The wailing of the sirens drowns out things like her harsh breathing, but she can’t ignore the terrified shrieking echoing against the walls. She has to get out, she has to get to the main chamber, she’ll be safe there-- everyone will be safe there. No one else but them know about that place. There’s a way out of the city there, and if she can just reach the elevator… _

_ She turns to look over her shoulder. Just for a moment, just a breath.  _

_ It’s the worst mistake she’s ever made. _

_ Something shoves her back before she can look forward again. Something that ran into her. She hits the ground hard, staggering and nearly twisting her ankle but her back hits the floor and knocks the wind out of her. Dazed, she sits up, shakes her head, and tries to focus through the fear clouding her mind.  _

_ When she looks up, icy dread settles in the pit of her stomach and her eyes well up with tears. She stares pleadingly up at a dark-skinned inkling in dark clothes and a reflective vest, glowing headphones over bright violet tentacles, pointing the barrel of a modified splattershot directly into her face. _

_ And she cries. She can’t help it, she’s shaking and rooted to the spot. _

_ “Please,” she begs, “please don’t hurt me! Please leave me alone, I promise I won’t tell anyone--” _

_ The inkling doesn’t hear her, or she doesn’t understand her. There’s no recognition on their face. Just anger, just hatred. Disgust.  _

_ “Talk all you want, but it won’t save you now,”  _

_And with horror, she realizes it’s _her own voice _coming back to her from the stranger’s mouth._

_ The inkling lifts the barrel and the safety clicks off.  _

_ She squeezes her eyes shut tightly and holds her breath. _

Jinx shot up straight, jolted awake and shaking so violently that she could hear her teeth clicking together. Her stomach lurched and she immediately rolled out of bed, her body still heavy with sleep and her legs giving out on her once her bare toes hit the floor. She pushed up and tripped at least twice more before she was finally able to make it to the bathroom, just in time to fall to her knees and vomit into the toilet. 

Forehead tacky with sweat and chest burning with every breath she took, she held her upper body up and all-but hugged the porcelain. Her first coherent thought as the terror ebbed away and left her feeling wobbly and exhausted, was how glad she was Marie hadn’t been there. Throwing up on her girlfriend was near the bottom of her list of things she felt like doing.

The inkling wasn’t sure how long she sat there in the bathroom, on the cold tile floor. Long enough for her breathing to even out, still too loud in the silence of the apartment. Long enough for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, enough to make out the vague shapes of the familiar room. 

Long enough for flashes of the nightmare to replay through her mind, over and over again until she felt her stomach churn dangerously. She braced herself against the toilet, ready for another wave if she had to be.

What…  _ was _ that? Jinx forced herself to draw in deep, slow breaths through her nose, digging through the last dredges of panic to find meaning in the dream. 

There was nowhere she had ever been in her life that looked even remotely like the hallways she was running through. The voice she’d spoken with wasn’t hers. But the one that responded...the inkling that had--threatened her, that was absolutely her. The face was hers. The Hero Shot was hers. Those were her eyes, glaring disgust down at her.

While she wandered through the possibilities, DJ Octavio’s voice echoed unbidden in the back of her mind. 

_ “Don’t ya think my people deserve to live in peace, too? Without a buncha bratty inklings comin’ in ta destroy their homes?” _

She tried piecing it together, but her brain wouldn’t make the connection. The parts were there. The truth lay within arm’s reach, at the tips of her fingers, but she just couldn’t grab it. It made her head throb to even consider it. 

Finally leaning back against the wall, Jinx pulled her knees up to her chest. Her shoulders still shaking. Cod, she wished like nothing else that she wasn’t  _ alone _ , but by the same token it was probably for the better. The swell of emotions held captive inside of her pushed against her well-kept dam until it burst, overflowing as the first sob wrenched out of her. 

There was nothing else she could do. She sat on the bathroom floor, hugging her knees and sobbing uncontrollably for a world she had nearly destroyed.

On the final day of Splatfest, Jinx was nowhere to be found.

From the moment Marie woke up, her girlfriend had been missing. Granted, she’d come home very late that evening and slept in as much as she could, but Jinx didn’t leave the bed as a general rule until she did. They’d established what a cuddler she was. 

Instead, a note rested on the pillow beside the older girl, one she scanned with sleep-clouded amber eyes. 

_ ‘Morning jog to warm up. Be home soon! -Jinx’  _

A small heart drawn on the page beside her name. 

Much as she may have wanted to, Marie didn’t have time to dwell on it. There was breakfast, dressing, news segments, performances - all of it took priority right then. It was just for Splatfest. This was the last time work would completely take over her lifestyle, and then she’d take Jinx out on a stupidly over-the-top dinner date to make up for the distance that had been slowly forming between them in the madness.

It was nothing that couldn’t be fixed. That much, she was sure of.

“Morning, Grandma!” Callie shouted cheerfully when she stepped out into the living room. The bubbly inkling poked her head out from the bathroom, half-dressed and working some stiffness out of her tentacles so she could properly tie them back. “You ready to get your butt handed to you today?” 

No sign of the worries that had been troubling her, at least not in her voice.

Marie rolled her eyes playfully, poking her cousin’s nose in passing. “We’ll just see who gets whooped when we count the scores tomorrow,” she teased back. Then, as nonchalantly as she could manage: “You haven’t seen Jinx this morning, have you?” 

Callie’s smile faltered and she hummed, retreating back into the bathroom to finish up her routine. “No, I haven’t! I think I heard her slip out earlier, but I was too zonked to check the clock,” she said. “Shoot her a text, she definitely has her phone on her!”

Her knee-jerk reaction was to claim she didn’t have time. Any other day, she may have. But after last night in the Plaza, despite the encouraging words from the plethora of inklings that supported their relationship, Jinx had dismissed herself and they hadn’t seen each other (awake) since then. Marie wasn’t worried. She just felt… uneasy.

Huffing softly, she ducked back into her room and grabbed her phone from the night stand. 

[marie]: When will you be back? 

That seemed too abrupt. For good measure, she added one more.

[marie]: Good morning btw. Make sure you eat breakfast.

There. That should be enough for now. And she most certainly was not going to anxiously wait for the response - instead, Marie busied herself getting ready for the ridiculously heinous day that it was sure to be. 

Everything was fine. She was just reading too much into a tiny nagging feeling. She’d spent too much time around Callie.

For the first time since they’d met, Jinx had told Marie a lie.

She wasn’t coming back. At least, not that day. As soon as the first light leaked through their bedroom window, she had snuck out. Stopping only briefly to snag that pale green hoodie from the closet, of course - she needed something to keep her grounded while she was gone. She could slide it on, pull the sleeve cuff over her palm, press her nose against it and breathe in Marie’s scent. 

Who said dreams didn’t come true?

All jokes aside, Jinx took a backpack with just a few essentials and caught the first train to Barnacle Bay. It was a heck of a trip, but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t need to get as far away from Inkopolis as possible. With a smile plastered over her exhausted features, she tugged her phone out of her pocket and prepared for the 3-hour trip. 

Jinx watched the city slowly disappear around her as the train sped forward, phone resting in her palms on her lap. She watched as buildings gave way to trees and countryside, stretching back all the way to a distant shore that was calling her name. Home. Her siblings. A place where she was not -  _ couldn’t  _ be - Agent 3 of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, where she was just Jinx. 

It was kind of bittersweet.

The ride consisted mostly of alternating between zoning out and scrolling through her social media. The text from Marie was a pleasant surprise, though the warmth in her gut was quickly soured by guilt. She could tell the truth about where she was going and why, but at what cost? As far as both of the Squid Sisters knew, Octo Valley was behind them. Jinx didn’t think about it anymore, didn’t worry about it.

The timing of the nightmare, on top of concern surrounding the outcome of the Splatfest, just set her down a path of panic that she couldn’t shake as long as she was in the city. 

She just imagined that Marie would sigh, roll her eyes, and scold her for not being able to let it go. So, she kept quiet about it. 

[jinx]: hey!! i had breakfast

[jinx]: got a call from my brother mid-jog. Turns out i need to visit home today, i’m really sorry for the short notice :(

[jinx]: i’ll try to be home for closing ceremony ok?

As much as the idea of telling the truth bothered her, lying to Marie made her skin feel too tight and uncomfortable. It was only a tiny fib, but she’d done her best to be nothing but honest since day one, so she knew her girlfriend would believe her. Shoving her phone under her thigh, she propped her cheek up against her palm against the windowsill and took a shaky breath. 

At least the scenery was pretty.

In the Plaza, the festivities kept the Squid Sisters distracted just as they expected. They performed, danced and sang, revelled in the thrill of raising everyone’s spirits together and keeping the party going. The hours passed swiftly for most, but during much-needed breaks Marie couldn’t help but check her phone every few minutes. They had retreated to the studio for some peace and quiet, barely hearing the bass pumping outside of the windows.

Callie gave her a sympathetic smile. Much as her cousin could try to deny it, she could see right through the aloof facade to the concern hiding beneath. 

“She’s fine,” she assured, reaching across the table to pat Marie’s arm. “Where did you say she lived?”

“Barnacle Bay,” Marie said distantly, eyes still glued to her phone where Jinx’s last message practically mocked her. Four hours ago. 

Callie whistled. “That’s like a three hour trip. And you said she’s got a big family, right? I’m sure she’s just distracted!” 

Logically, Marie knew she was right. She didn’t know why she was so worried, they’d gone longer without checking in - recently, even. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going on, something she wasn’t being told. Frustrated with her circular thoughts, she shook her head and set her phone down on the table. 

“You’re right,” she relented. 

Ridiculously though, she still wished Jinx had stuck around to at least kiss her goodbye.

What a fool love was making of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is Marie catching the gay?
> 
> I mean it's been....half a year. I would hope so.


	12. Chapter 11 and a Half

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short and sweet.

Not a single soul was around to hear glass shatter in Octo Valley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd say this is my best chapter yet.
> 
> My magnum opus.


	13. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief reprieve. Some growing tension. Something - or someone - is hanging over their heads like a sword of damocles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crow, when did this get to almost a thousand hits?? Thank you guys!
> 
> Also thanks for being good sports about the last chapter. I thought it was cute. 
> 
> Are ya ready for some good ol' fashioned family bonding? Let's go!

[marie]: Be safe.

[jinx]: i will!

[jinx]: worst case scenario, my sisters smother me 

[jinx]: so i should be ok

“Texting your girlfriend?” 

Jinx looked up from her phone at the light-hearted jab, wrinkling her nose at the taller inkling and giving him an elbow to the side. He laughed, that warm smile ever present on his face. Honestly, she missed having her older brother around to harass her.

“Har, har,” she avoided the fact that he wasn’t wrong. “I still can’t believe that’s  _ news  _ out here. How backwater did this place get while I was gone, Ame?” 

Hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans, Ame shrugged. “What can I say? The last big thing to happen here was that Squid Sisters concert, what, two years ago?” 

Ame had met her at the station platform, responding to the call she made before she even left Inkopolis. They both lucked out that their dad hadn’t been working, or he might have had to bring the whole menagerie with him. Instead they got to spend some long-awaited time together as they walked down the quiet streets.

Jinx took a deep breath of salty sea air, brown eyes roaming over the familiar buildings and the single main road through town. Not far from the station was the beach, rocky walls giving way to sand and waves that lapped at the shore. Gulls cried overhead. No shouting inklings, few cars, no planes, no constant hum of music somewhere in the background.

Barnacle Bay was so quiet, and after almost a year and a half away from it, she walked slowly to take it all in again and let the familiarity fill her soul. The sight of her childhood home was even more comforting, a single-story building with a soft blue paint job and flower boxes hanging from the windows. A tiny garden beside the front door that was definitely Florence’s pride and joy.

“You’re gonna get squid-piled,” Ame warned when the reached the front door. 

“I’m looking forward to it,” Jinx beamed at him, beating him to the punch and swinging the door open. 

It still smelled the same. Wood smoke and warmth, for there was no other word for it, with the tiniest undertones of soap. She almost cried crossing the threshold, Ame closing the door behind him with a soft click.

He gave her a minute to soak it in before cupping a hand around his mouth and taking a deep breath. 

“ _ Hey squirts, Jinx is home! _ ”

The result was instantaneous. Some excited yelling from down the hall, the scrambling of bare feet over carpet and thundering up the stairs from the basement, and soon all five of her other siblings were crowding around her in the kitchen. They practically wrestled to be the first to wrap their arms around her; in the confusion, the tiniest squidling took advantage of the crowd and clambered up onto his sisters’ shoulders so that he could reach Jinx’s head.

She laughed breathlessly through the whole thing, overwhelmed but squeezing and patting heads of every squid huddled around her enthusiastically. 

“Oh my cod, you guys, you all got so big!” She praised, reaching up to rest a steadying hand onto the half-squid form of her youngest brother. “Squirt, don’t fall--”

“Sissy, look what Dad got us!” Sandy, that one was Sandy, and she was brandishing her wrist very insistently in front of Jinx’s nose.

“Mine too, mine too!” Shelly, the other half of the twins, bouncing up and down on her toes as she tried to show off a necklace that seemed to match her sister’s bracelet.

“Did you see the garden out front? I’ve been working really hard on it!” Florence patted Jinx’s shoulder from her left side, voice softer than the others but still vying for the attention.

“Sis, I’ve been practicing Callie Cuttlefish’s new song, I want to sing it for you!” Siren chimed in over the madness, standing just a bit further back from everyone else and clasping her hands together.

On her head, Squirt gushed some unintelligible gibberish and then something that sounded like, “Stay fwesh!” 

In all of the mayhem, all Jinx could do was laugh and ruffle tentacles and try not to cry. Cod, this place just had her so emotional.

Meanwhile, Ame just smiled at her from behind the mob. “Warned ya,” he teased. 

It took at least half an hour to get everyone calmed down and relocated again, a lot of gentle coaxing mixed with mild bribery - Jinx promised to tell stories of her ‘adventures’ in Inkopolis, but only if everyone went and sat quietly in the living room for at least ten minutes. Once the chaos ebbed and her beloved siblings retreated, she pressed a palm to her forehead and took a deep breath.

“Wow,” she laughed. “Guess they missed me.”

Untying his shoes and kicking them to the side, Ame gave her a pat on the head as he passed. “‘Course they did. No one else can tie Siren’s tentacles up the way you do it, you know. She reminds Dad every day.” 

Well, that was something to be proud of. Jinx stuck her tongue out at him. “Are you here every evening, then? That’s an awful long ride.”

“Nah, I have an apartment in the city,” Ame led her into the living room, where the small army of squids had found places to sit and wait expectantly. “I come home on the weekends, though.” 

Jinx wondered idly if maybe she should start doing that. 

“You don’t have to,” her brother shrugged. “But maybe sometime you can bring your girlfriend by to meet the family.” 

Every eye in the room fixed on the pair at the idea, Shelly and Sandy looking like they were going to burst out of their ink shells if they had to be quiet another minute. Jinx smiled, lowering herself down onto the couch as slowly as she could manage and relishing in the eager expressions on her siblings faces.

“Okay,” she finally broke the silence. “Who’s ready for a story?”

  
  


All day long, Callie found it increasingly difficult to shake the feeling that she was being watched.

Obviously there were a constant mob of inklings in the plaza paying attention to their performances - that wasn’t the same. It was more insidious, a creeping feeling that there were eyes on the back of her neck. It made her shiver and shift uncomfortably, brow more often than not creased in worry when she didn’t have to put on a mask for the stage. She found herself looking over her shoulder frequently. 

Marie assured her she was being paranoid and she tried to stop thinking about it, honestly she did. In the end, she stuck like glue to her cousin’s side whenever they weren’t actively pleasing the crowd. 

If she was annoyed, Marie didn’t let it slip. She knew it was better to let Callie do what she thought was necessary for comfort, than to push her away. 

Hours passed. Despite there being so much to do, the Squid Sisters still had time to worry over their own separate things.

Aside from the paranoia, Callie dreaded the closing ceremony, the aftermath. No matter who won, the results would undoubtedly cause some kind of shift in their lives, wouldn’t it? She couldn’t see any outcome where it didn’t. She wanted to stay positive, to hold out hope, but for all her optimism she had a horrible sinking feeling in her gut. 

Marie was so in tune with her cousin’s emotions that she could feel the fear herself, but all it did was build off of lingering concern - and mild annoyance - at the situation with her girlfriend. She kept checking her phone, furrowing her brow and setting it back down when there was nothing new from Jinx. A healthy mix of frustration at the silence, and at herself for letting it get under her skin, and she found that she was talking herself out of a sour mood. 

No one needed to see that. She had a job to do. They both did.

In the early evening, with still no word, Marie excused herself to make a very justified phone call. Whether to give Jinx a piece of her mind, or say that she missed her, she hadn’t decided yet.

One ring.

Two.

...Three, and something nudged uncomfortably against the inside of her chest. 

Halfway through the fourth ring, the line finally clicked and Marie exhaled.

“Hey--  _ Squirt, get off the bookshelf--  _ hi, Marie!” Jinx sounded out of breath. 

Ducked into the shadows behind one of the trucks they’d set up for a stage, Marie let herself untense a bit. “Hey,” she said casually. “Everything going alright? Emergency taken care of?” 

There was definitely commotion in the background, and she wouldn’t be surprised if Jinx had been distracted this whole time. 

“Emer--oh, oh yeah that’s all set,” the younger inkling must have been shuffling around with something. “I’ve just been regaling my sisters with Inkopolis stories until our dad gets home.”

Marie smiled to herself. She’d never seen what Jinx was like around anyone but herself and Callie, so she tried to listen to the background noise to get a better idea. “And keeping squids from climbing up bookshelves?” She mused.

“Oh my  _ cod  _ Marie, he has absolutely no sense of danger,” Jinx sighed. “He’s six. I don’t remember the twins being this bad when they were six. Were you this bad when you were six?!”

The older squid covered her mouth with one gloved hand to stifle the laughter, lest she give away her hiding spot. She peeked out from the shadow to make sure no one was looking for her. “You’d have to ask Callie, but I’m sure she was the troublemaker.”

She could hear the smile in her girlfriend’s voice when she spoke again. “Mhmm, you say that, but I’ve seen how you are. You’re that sneaky kinda mischief.”

A younger voice called out, “ _ Is that Marie?! _ ” with a healthy amount of enthusiasm. Followed quickly by another -- “ _ Jinx, Jinx, tell her we say hi!! _ ” 

All of it preceding a fond sigh and then, “My sisters say hello!” 

“Hello, Jinx’s sisters,” Marie wondered what they looked like. “You should make sure to take pictures, so I can see ‘em when you come back. When is that, again?” Good, a perfect lead-in. Totally casual.

Jinx paused. “Uh,” she said after a beat or two. “Soon. I’d...like to see my dad before I go. But it shouldn’t be too much longer!” 

Despite her best efforts, Marie felt that nudging against her chest again. What on earth was that? It wasn’t quite disappointment, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. “You said you would make closing ceremonies. Is that still a thing?” 

“I’ll definitely be back in time for that. Dad is always home before six, so if I’m not out of here by seven-thirty, assume I’m dead,” Something crashed in the background. “...it will be Squirt’s fault. I’ll die of a heart attack.” 

Taking a deep breath, Marie folded one arm over her chest. “Alright,” she sighed. “Just text me when you’re getting on the train. Or, you know, whenever you want. I’ll be here.” 

Another pause. This one felt uncomfortable. Maybe she’d let a bit of her annoyance slip into snark… oops. 

“I just. Figured you were busy,” Jinx said quietly. “Anyway, yeah. I’ll text you when I’m heading home.” 

“Okay,”

More silence. 

“Okay, um. Bye,”

Marie hung up first. She took another deep breath, shaking her head to try and de-clutter her thoughts. She’d done what she set out to do - made a phone call, established that everything was fine, and gotten a rough estimate on Jinx’s return time. 

So why did she still feel so frustrated? 


	14. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of a Splatfest. The end of an era. No more distractions means it's time to face the music.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello naughty children, did you miss me~? 
> 
> I'm going to try to space updates out a little bit more, between work and other things I just need to take my time writing. I wanna make sure it's quality! Like this chapter which is the longest at 3,101 words. *Phew*
> 
> Enjoy!

Jinx made it back before midnight, at least. 

It was a bit too late for her to take part in any more turf wars - time aside, she was thoroughly exhausted. She had definitely missed her family, but her siblings tended to run her ragged, and being away for so long left them full of pent-up energy to unleash on their big sister. She told them as much as she could, avoiding anything involving the NSS, or Octo Valley. 

There was no need to pass along the nightmares she was having, after all. They were all too young for that kind of emotional instability.

She made a quick stop at the apartment to grab her Team Callie shirt, tugging it on and carefully folding up Marie’s hoodie again. Resting it at the end of the bed, she took a deep breath and ran as fast as she could to the middle of the plaza. 

She could see all the stars overhead in Barnacle Bay, but here the bright lights shone with their vibrant pinks and greens, music filling the space. It was still brimming with inklings who were just as ready to party as they had been for the last 48 hours, their energy contagious as it set her nerves alight. 

Jinx grinned and greeted a couple of her fellow team members, high-fiving when it was offered and apologizing for missing the last few hours. 

One inkling in particular stopped her, a girl with bright orange eyes that unfortunately clashed (badly) with the hot pink that her tentacles had shifted to. A gentle hand rested on Jinx’s shoulder and the girl was smiling almost sadly at her.

“Hey, where were you today?” Mac, that was her name. “We really missed you!”

The sentiment caught her off guard. Jinx rubbed at the back of her neck, offering an apologetic smile in return. “Sorry Mac,” she said. “I had to go home for the day. But, uh, hey! You cleaned house without me, right?”

Mac’s grin brightened again, flashing teeth in her growing excitement. “Shell yeah we did! Oh man, you shoulda seen this one move I pulled, I sniped a dynamo right off his high-seahorse!”

She laughed and Jinx laughed with her, a swell of pride in her chest. “Keep going!! Team Callie’s gonna show ‘em what’s up!” 

“Let’s play a round before it’s over, okay?” Mac pulled her into a tight hug before she could protest, drawing away again and waving as she turned to rejoin her friends. “Stay fresh!”

Left blinking in mild shock, Jinx waved a little back. On the one hand, she needed the day off. On the other hand… she had people who were disappointed that she hadn’t shown up? That was new. She wasn’t used to being missed by anyone but her family. 

Shaking her head, she turned toward the makeshift stage near the center of the plaza. 

The smile crossed her face as easily as breathing when she watched Marie and Callie performing. She’d made it just in time to catch the Calamari Inkantation.

No matter what was on her mind, no matter how heavily it weighed, the feeling of home she got from that song was undeniable. She watched the performance, enraptured as ever, and when it was over she offered a contented smile and a little wave to the Squid Sisters.

Jinx didn’t go far after things started to wind down. She hovered around, pacing around the plaza, even sneaking into the back alley to chat with Spyke a little. He’d gotten her a few favors over the last year she’d lived in Inkopolis, and she liked his energy - people seemed to think he was a sleaze, but he just liked his privacy. 

She didn’t play a final turf war with Mac.

By midnight finally rolled around and the announcement was made that the splatfest was over, she was thoroughly exhausted. All she wanted to do was go home and curl up in bed, and not for the first time in the last couple of weeks, her chest ached with how bad she missed her girlfriend.

She was going to kiss the hell out of Marie the second she got a chance. 

  
When Marie spotted Jinx in the crowd, she had absolutely no control over the flutter in her chest. It definitely wasn’t the first time she’d experienced it, but it was becoming pretty consistent - she mentioned it to Callie about a month or two prior, and her cousin had rolled her eyes and teased her. 

“You love her, genius,” she laughed. “That’s normal!”

Marie wasn’t an idiot. Not by any stretch. It was just a little foreign to her. That feeling of fondness that was warm and comforting, in general she’d only experienced it with Callie. Her parents. Important people in her life. And sure, there was a draw for her to Jinx from the very beginning, but she’d counted it as an interest. 

If she was falling in love, she supposed, it wasn’t all that bad. 

It just made her irritation more...difficult to deal with. 

As she and Callie waved their goodbyes to the sea of inklings in the plaza, departing the stage, she linked arms with her partner in crime.

“Let’s go home, yeah?” She said. 

Callie pumped her free fist into the air, that big grin plastered on her face. “That’s the best suggestion I’ve heard all night!” She cheered. “Is Jinx gonna meet us there?”

Marie pulled her phone out from her cleavage, already sending the text. “She is now,” a smile tugged at her mouth when Callie burst out laughing.

“ _ That’s  _ where you keep your phone?!” 

Completely straight-faced, Marie locked eyes with her and slowly tucked the device back into her dress. Nestled nice and comfy between her breasts. “Where else would I keep it?” She considered mentioning there were no pockets in the dress, but her response kept Callie laughing so she didn’t bother.

They chattered all the way back to the apartment. 

Jinx had absolutely booked it to beat them to the door, and she stood there waiting with a bright smile on her face. 

“Welcome home!” She said, launching herself at them both for a tight group hug. “Ugh, cod, I missed you guys-- let’s go do something fun!”

She looked so tired, but Marie couldn’t turn down the request, and she knew Callie certainly wasn’t going to.

“I’m so hyped, I don’t think I could sleep even if I tried!” The vibrant girl freed her arm, unlocking the door and ushering them both inside. “C’mon, let’s keep this party going!”

With the three of them together again, adrenaline still pumping from the last few hours and relief almost tangible that their lives were finally going to calm down a bit, everything else felt distant and unimportant. They all immediately changed into their comfiest pajamas, made a huge bowl of popcorn, and sat in the living room laughing and talking like they always did. Callie lay on her stomach on the floor, legs kicking passively back and forth as she propped herself up on her elbows. Jinx leaned with her back against the couch, and Marie sat sideways on her hip. 

Jinx showed off pictures she’d taken of her siblings. Of Ame with an arm propped up on top of her head and leaning on her, of Shelly and Sandy in the ‘stay fresh’ pose, Florence’s garden and Siren singing. She told them about each and every one, and how much she loved them all. 

“When do we get to meet them?” Callie asked. 

“Soon, I hope,” Jinx tossed a piece of popcorn up into the air, trying to catch it in her mouth. It bounced off of her nose and rolled onto the floor. “Dang.”

Marie laughed and gingerly took the phone from her girlfriend’s hand, scrolling through the pictures again. “How old are they?” She missed this, learning new things about their beloved Agent 3. Distance makes the heart grow fonder after all, it seemed, and Jinx was so happy talking about her siblings.

“Siren is eight. Shelly and Sandy turned ten this year, Florence is twelve, and Ame is nineteen,” she listed. “He’s only older than me by like, a year.” 

With the air in the room perfectly calm, Marie took her opportunity. She kept flipping through some pictures, not taking her gaze away from the screen when she spoke again. 

“So what was the big emergency, anyway? That you had to go all the way to Barnacle Bay for?” In the middle of a very, very important splatfest. She didn’t add that part. Confronting her girlfriend was all about tact, and she had that in spades. Her tone may have been a bit dry, though.

Still, Jinx tensed at the question. One that should have had an easy answer. “Oh,” she said. “You know, uh. Well, my dad’s been raising the kids on his own, y’know-- Ame goes home every weekend, but there’s so many of them, and Squirt is such a handful on his own, and--”

Marie cleared her throat. “So it was a babysitting emergency?” Amber eyes flicked up from the phone screen, watching the younger inkling carefully. 

Biting her lip, Callie’s gaze went from Marie’s searching stare to the pure discomfort showing on Jinx’s face. She swallowed. “Maybe it’s none of our business?” She interjected, turning back to her cousin and staring  _ hard _ . “I’m sure Jinx has a good reason for bailing, Marie.”

The aforementioned agent curled her fingers into the hem of her t-shirt, tugging at the fabric, eyes locked with Marie’s. “Can we...not talk about this? Please?” She pleaded quietly. Everything was just starting to smooth over again, the last thing she wanted was to go into her desperate need for a distraction. The need to be as far away from the sources of her problems as possible. 

More staring. Jinx swore those eyes could see straight into her soul, at this point. 

“The fact that you don’t want to means we should,” Marie said at last, pointedly. 

Callie fidgeted. She wanted to intervene. She  _ needed  _ to, the tension was growing and disrupting their good time. Sometimes Marie poked sensitive topics at the worst times. 

“Hey,” she spoke up. “What are your plans for Squidmas?”

Marie didn’t glare at her very often, but this one was scalding. She couldn’t help but feel ganged up on, and she was ready to scold Callie for trying to ‘protect’ their companion. Because that would mean there was something to protect her from. She took a deep breath, shaking her head a little and pushing herself up off the floor. 

“I’m going to make tea,” she announced, her voice tight as she wandered into the kitchen and away from the situation.

Jinx exhaled, her shoulders rolling forward, burying her face into her hands. 

“Fuck,” she grumbled. 

Callie would have laughed if she weren’t so worried. Scooting closer, she pressed her cheek against the couch cushion and reached out to rest a hand on her friend’s knee. “You know you don’t have to talk about it right now. She’ll calm down, and you can tell her later?” 

Jinx groaned.

“Do you want me to go so you can…?”

“No,” she shook her head, voice still muffled by her palms. “No, I’ll… I’ll talk to her about it before bed. Otherwise she’ll be upset with me all night.” 

Dragging her hands down her face, she dropped them into her lap and sighed heavily. Callie kept an eye on her, stroking her thumb consolingly against the younger inkling’s knee. 

“Thanks, Cal. I know you’re just trying to help,” Jinx smiled tiredly at her. “I’ll handle it.” 

When Marie came back with her tea, they picked up where they had left off. But Jinx knew she was going to hear about it later.

  
  


It must have been at least three in the morning when they finally scattered from the living room. Callie gave her most encouraging smile to the two before closing her door behind her, and Jinx perched on the edge of Marie’s bed feeling as nervous as she had the last time they’d had a confrontation like this. 

She didn’t even know if these kinds of things counted as ‘confrontation.’ Especially when she’d been avoiding something that probably needed saying. 

Marie closed the door, eyes already locked onto her girlfriend. She stood there a moment, considering how she was going to attack this, dropping her hand away from the wood and crossing the room. Instead of sitting down beside Jinx, though, she folded her arms across her chest and leaned back against the wall. Her expression gave nothing away. 

Jinx swallowed, shrinking under her gaze like a kid with their hand caught in the cookie jar. 

“Talk,” was all she said. 

Unreadable. Jinx hated that she was so far away, she couldn’t reach out and take her hand. Couldn’t  _ talk  _ in her preferred language. Brown eyes searched for some kind of opening as her mind raced, thinking about the events of the last 24 hours - through the visit to her childhood home, back to the sleepless night. The nightmare she’d been trying to shove into the darkest depths of her thoughts, so maybe she could forget about it.

She took a shaky breath and gripped the edge of the mattress. 

“Will you please come sit with me?” She asked quietly. 

A twinge of guilt nagged at Marie’s mind. It had been a long time since she’d heard Jinx sound so vulnerable - since the breakdown over morality, actually. “I’m not going to distract you,” she said, letting her voice soften a bit. “I need you to tell me what’s going on. Because I can’t shake the feeling that you’re avoiding me, and I’m sure you know I can’t stand that.”

Jinx opened her mouth to say something.

“I’m your girlfriend,” Marie added. “You shouldn’t feel like you need to hide anything from me.”

So, with her voice shaking like a leaf and dread settling like ice into the pit of her stomach, Jinx said, “I had a nightmare.” 

It sounded so lame when she finally said it out loud. She kept going.

“I dreamt I was an octoling. I was running, there were alarms, there was screaming,” she wanted to keep it professional, but there were already tears welling in her eyes at the memory. One day maybe her emotions would stop being over-achievers. “I was scared. I was  _ so scared _ . A-and I ran into me? Myself. I ran into Agent 3 and she--aimed her gun at me. She was going to kill me.”

Jinx’s gaze dropped to her hands, her fingers flexing a few times. Like she was trying to feel herself move, to know she was still there. 

“All I could do was curl up and beg her not to,” she finished quietly. “After that, I just. Couldn’t be here. I didn’t want to tell you, I’ve beaten this Octo Valley thing to death with you already and you had so much else to do--”

Marie, who had remained patiently listening through the whole story (mildly horrified, if she was honest with herself), shook her head. “Jinx, that’s stupid,” she pressed a hand against her forehead, pushing her mantle back a bit. “I’m never too busy for you. You can ask me anytime you need me.” 

Jinx just shook her head. “I-I’m sorry,” her voice broke at last, gritting her teeth and trying not to crack. “I wanted to be done with this. I can’t stop thinking about it, and I d-don’t know what to  _ do _ .”

In the midst of processing all of this, Marie realized that she couldn’t in good conscience let Jinx keep shaking alone like that. She crossed the room in a few easy steps, settling down at the head of the bed and reaching to take the distressed girl’s wrist. Gently guiding her into the taller girl’s arms, holding her close and resting her chin atop Jinx’s head. 

Her chest ached with each sound as the dam broke and the heavy sobs started coming. This time, she didn’t have Callie to help her diffuse the situation. It was just the two of them, and she took time to piece together advice that might help even a little. What she would normally say to anyone else, she couldn’t say to Jinx - rational thought wouldn’t help her. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize you’ve been having such a hard time with this,” Marie stroked one of Jinx’s tentacles soothingly, her voice gentle. It wasn’t as though she’d had a chance to pay attention, with how crazy her schedule had been in the last month or so, but that was no excuse. 

Jinx tried to answer, but whenever she took a breath to speak she couldn’t get enough air. So she just shook her head, hoping to convey that it was fine, it was okay, Marie was busy, she understood. That was the price to pay when you were dating a pop star, she didn’t expect that everything would be dropped for her at a moment’s notice. 

“A lot has been going on. The crazy schedule probably hasn’t helped matters any, huh?” Marie continued. “And I won’t lie, it’s only going to get more hectic after the holidays…but I’ll take you along with me whenever I can, so we can chase the nightmares away together, okay?” 

An involuntary hiccup came in response. “A-are, are you s-sure that’s okay…?” Her voice came out wet and garbled. 

“It will be,” Marie half-smiled. “Or our manager will be getting an earful.” 

Jinx laughed despite herself, pulling up a hand to smear tears away from her face. She sniffled a bit.

Taking the opportunity, Marie curled her fingers and nudged Jinx’s chin up to catch her gaze. “Seriously, though. Everything’s gonna be okay,” she promised. “Just...don’t avoid me if something’s up. You have me.” 

A thick swallow worked in her throat as Jinx nodded. “O-okay,” she agreed. 

Marie smiled. “Good,” she leaned in, pressing a soft kiss against her girlfriend’s lips. “Now c’mon, we should get some sleep. There’s results to announce in the morning.”

She couldn’t say she felt any better getting it off her chest, or crying, or any of it. But Jinx nodded again, moving as little as possible from the safety of Marie’s arms as they repositioned and nestled down. She nuzzled her damp face into the crook of the taller girl’s neck, arms wrapped tightly around her waist, clutching to her for dear life. 

Drifting off to the gentle sound of her girlfriend’s humming, Jinx hoped beyond hope for mercy from her subconscious. 


	15. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Squid Sisters take a moment to reflect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I can't believe we've made it this far. 
> 
> I'd like to dedicate? Yeah. I'm dedicating this chapter to Adept7777, for sticking with this crazy adventure since day one and generally being a wonderful and supportive person!
> 
> Also she's really good at Splat. Holy crap. She kicked my ass.
> 
> Anyway, this chapter is a little short, but the next few are almost complete fluff. ENjoy~

For weeks leading up to the event, it had been Marie placating Callie. Assuring her that everything would be okay, that nothing would change no matter what the final results were from their little popularity contest. She soothed every worry, talked her through every panic with patience and a calm demeanor. Time and time again. Because they were family, and she loved her cousin. In a lot of ways, ‘sisters’ was a better description for them than anyone truly realized.

It was Marie holding the two of them together.

But when the results were announced, it was  _ Marie  _ left speechless. It was Marie who had no idea how to react to the news, to find out that in all categories, her team emerged victorious. How she, the more reserved and far less of a ‘people’ person of the pair, somehow was more popular than her bubbly partner.

They played it up for the news, but her shock was real enough that for a moment she forgot she was on the air. She gained her composure back quickly as she always did, though, and pressed on.

Ridiculously, she worried over what it would be like once the cameras turned off. It was unnecessary, of course. Callie linked arms with her, relief clear on her face as she leaned her cheek against Marie’s shoulder and gushed about what a good time the splatfest had been. A good note to go out on.

“You aren’t sore that I won?” It was half-teasing, masking the real concern beneath.

“Naw,” Callie grinned, separating from Marie and settling back into her chair. She kicked her feet up over the side, stretching comfortably and resting splayed out like that. “It’s actually kind of a relief! Who wants the pressure of being Inkopolis’ biggest celebrity, right?” 

She knew it was an effort to make her feel better, but Marie still put on a show like she’d been slighted. “Ouch, Cal,” she perched gracefully in her chair, resting a hand against her collar. “Jealousy isn’t a pretty color on you.” 

Callie, flipped upside down, stuck her tongue out in retaliation. “We should celebrate tonight!! You know, pick an abandoned arena! Turf war, just the two of us!” She twisted herself somewhat more upright. The position was absolutely ridiculous and couldn’t be comfortable, but the hopeful sparkle in her eyes was undeniable.

Marie was about to accept wholeheartedly. She grimaced, though, when she realized what a bad idea it would be to leave Jinx alone. “Cal…” She took a deep breath, amber eyes watching out the windows. Not sure how many more times they’d be together in this studio, after this. “I want to. I really do.” 

Her cousin’s smile faded, replaced with a careful curiosity. “You and Jinx talked last night?” 

A small nod. Marie pressed the backs of her fingers against her mouth thoughtfully. 

“...Is it bad?”

She hummed. “She’s still stuck on that octogarbage,” she shifted, squeezing her eyes shut and pinching the bridge of her nose. “I don’t get it. She knows DJ Octavio is full of it. She  _ knows  _ he’d say anything to get to her. She’s smarter than that.” 

Callie’s gaze softened and she chose her words carefully. “She’s  _ empathetic _ ,” she said. “And all she wants is to do good. To help other people. With how Gramps just threw her into the middle of a crazy octo uprising, I’d be more worried if she  _ wasn’t _ questioning it.”

It was true. But she left out the part where Jinx may have had a point. The part where maybe they didn’t know the truth, where perhaps it wasn’t so black and white. Their grandfather was a good man, but he had actually fought in the Great Turf War, so there was no denying the possibility that he was too set in his ways to believe anything else.

Callie left out the part where she was questioning the truth, too.

What she said was just enough, though, and Marie offered up a deep sigh in response. The gears were definitely turning in her mind, as she tried to make sense of it. She wanted to understand. She wanted to be able to console her girlfriend about this, without being judgmental. For carp’s sake, they’d been together for nearly nine months. 

Marie was a lot of things. But selfish was not one of them. She cared, probably more than anyone really knew, about Agent 3. To not know how to help was beyond frustrating, and she couldn’t keep relying on Callie to do it for her. 

“I kinda feel like I’m repeating myself, and it’s losing its meaning,” she sighed. “What else am I supposed to say?”

Callie finally sat up straight. “Okay...so I’m not saying that you should entertain what that octoslob said,” she started in. 

That caught Marie’s attention.

“-- _ But _ . Try to consider what she’s struggling through. She wasn’t raised like we were, with war stories and stuff like that.” She reached across the space, patting the other girl’s shoulder. “You’re pretty good at setting aside moral grey areas for the greater good. Try and look at it from her perspective. Aaaand don’t think of it as ‘garbage.’”

“...Because it’s obviously important to her,” Marie sighed again. “Right. I’ll work on that.” 

“Why don’t you bring her along tonight? She can be the ref!” Callie changed the subject, pulling her from her incessant train of thought before it could get rolling again. “We’ll have a blast. You’ll see.”

It was enough to placate her for now, though she knew there was still plenty to figure out for herself. Marie gave one last sigh, smiling tiredly at her constant companion. “Thanks, Cal. I think that’s a great idea.”


	16. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The holidays are a great time to get out and remember what's really important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ding dong, guess who almost uploaded the wrong chapter.
> 
> I know we all out here being Pokemon trainers right now - so I appreciate you guys taking the time to stay with me!
> 
> This chapter is dedicated to Mew_Shadowfang, whose comments always make me smile~ You're good people <3

Nothing was ever as easy as wishing.

Marie lost count of the number of times her partner woke up in a cold sweat, immediately clapping a hand over her mouth to muffle the scream that roused the older girl despite the attempt to silence it. The first couple of times, Jinx almost hurt herself trying to untangle from the blankets and push Marie away - only to disappear to the bathroom. 

After two weeks it was so routine, Marie could time it all in her head. 

About twenty minutes after the quick exit, Jinx would come back, looking pale and exhausted as she rubbed her palms into her eyelids. She would mumble an apology, Marie would assure her that it was okay, pull her back in and they would fall back to sleep. Only once was the nightmare explained, because it was the same one over and over. 

Marie could survive on little sleep - she’d been doing that for as long as she could remember. But lethargy didn’t look good on Jinx, and while she never asked what the nightmares were about (not that she had to), the former Agent 3 grew jumpy and paranoid with each passing day.

She was constantly looking over her shoulder, brow creased in worry, spacing out during conversations. If someone tried to touch her shoulder or spoke when she wasn’t paying attention, she nearly jumped out of her ink shell and whipped to face them so fast it made  _ Marie’s  _ neck hurt just watching. 

Callie tried to assure her it would pass with time. Marie wasn’t completely convinced, but she was willing to be optimistic, and since Jinx didn't say it bothered her...she didn't ask.

When three weeks had passed and the holidays descended, the entire air around Inkopolis shifted accordingly. It didn’t snow much in the plaza, not this early in the season, but the soft dusting of white really added something special to the decorations hung outside of shops. Colorful lights wrapped around thick garlands and strung between lamp posts, a few comically large inflatable snowmen grinning at inklings as they passed. 

Marie always thought those were so garish, unnecessary. Jinx loved them, lighting up as bright as a Squidmas tree whenever she spotted one. As tired and stretched thin as she was, she still took joy in poking at the giant things and watching them sway and re-inflate. It was undeniably adorable, especially to catch a flicker of light during a struggle that was wearing them both down. 

Idly, Jinx realized this would be their very first Squidmas together. It wasn’t lost on her, just how many months ago they started this venture. She didn’t let herself sink into the incessant worry that her mood in the last few months was spoiling the entire relationship, tarnishing any good thoughts Marie may have about her. 

No, she dwelled on too many things already, and she definitely wasn’t going to add that to her plate. Not consciously, anyway. 

She let herself drift instead, bringing up more stories of her family. With Squidmas just around the corner, she counted herself lucky to have a distraction from her bad dreams in the form of fond memories from her childhood. She would point out things in stores and explain how one of her sisters got that last year, and promptly spilled grape juice all over it. 

Callie and Marie weren’t blind to how much happier Jinx was when she talked about her family. She seemed to have a bottomless arsonal of stories to share, and she did so with fervor, grinning broadly when she recounted antics. 

“I really should go back this year,” she sighed one evening, a week and a half before Squidmas, laying on the couch with her head in Marie’s lap as the older girl flipped a page in her book. “Probably when you guys go back to Calamari County. That way I won’t miss you so much.” 

Callie made a face. “Aw, c’mon,” she said. “I’m sure we can think of something!” 

“We could always set aside a day before or after Squidmas,” Marie offered, smiling gently as her free hand stroked across Jinx’s mantle. “Spending it with family means all the family. And this motley little crew here certainly counts.” 

Jinx shrugged. If it worked, it worked, but if it didn’t she would try not to be too disappointed about it. 

One afternoon after the news segments were through, the Squid Sisters cheerfully announced that they’d taken the next week off for Squidmas so they could all make necessary calls to family. They explained the entire plan to Jinx as soon as they got home: two days before Squidmas, the two of them would spend the day in Calamari County with their parents. 

Jinx nodded at that - she could definitely find something to do in the interim, and she wouldn’t have to sleep alone so there was that.

Then, Callie threw in with a dazzling grin, they were all going to spend Squidmas Eve in Barnacle Bay. With their beloved Agent 3, her father, and all six of her siblings. 

Jinx was deeply flattered that they’d want to. Still, she offered a wry smile at the suggestion and tried to convince them it was a bad idea all the way up until the morning they were planning to leave. There was a last-ditch effort made while the three of them got dressed in their winter warmest. 

“And you’re sure you don’t mind getting swarmed?” She cautioned. “My sisters adore you. You won’t have much room to breathe.”

“Naw, we can handle a few kids,” Marie shrugged, draping a scarf carefully around Jinx’s neck and internally grimacing when the shorter girl twitched at the motion. It was heartbreaking seeing someone who spoke through touch, being so put-off by it. She leaned in and kissed her forehead for good measure.

“Besides,” Callie threw in, buttoning up her wool coat. “We’re the New Squidbeak Splatoon! We can handle anything!”

Marie cast a sidelong glance at her cousin, discouraging that branch of conversation from going  _ any  _ further. It was Squidmas Eve, for cod’s sake, and the dark circles under Jinx’s eyes were starting to look like someone beat the ever-living hell out of her. The last thing they needed was more nightmares. 

All things considered though, the youngest of the group was in high spirits as they walked through the thin layer of snow and slush to get to the train station. She kicked up little flurries of white powder, grinning and giggling as they dissolved around her. 

Marie smiled fondly at the sight. There was the Agent 3 she knew under there somewhere, the fun-loving squid buried beneath exhaustion and worry. 

“So what did you do yesterday, anyway?” She asked, walking close beside her partner. “Please tell me you didn’t stay inside all day.” 

Jinx shook her head. “Nah! I swung by my place, did some laundry, wrapped Squidmas gifts--” which she had promptly forgotten to bring. “--Oh, you’ll have to wait til tomorrow for ‘em though.” She laughed at the small mistake. So much on her mind, and that was what she forgot? It was a little silly. 

Marie let out an exaggerated sigh. “Oh, no. I guess I’ll just have to settle for spending the holiday with my girlfriend for now,” she feigned disappointment. “How terrible.” 

Jinx shrugged and stuck out her tongue. “Hey, my presence is a present,” she shot back. “No returns, I burned the receipt.” 

It felt good to tease like this, like nothing was wrong. Maybe there was hope for them yet. 

The train ride was long, but Jinx could already feel the pressure in her chest easing as the landscape started changing around them. It was kind of nice to know that she’d just made this trip a month or so ago, as opposed to another whole year. She had called ahead and warned her father that she was bringing the Squid Sisters along, so that maybe he could let the kids know and let them get their excitement out beforehand.

It was a hopeless wish for sure, they were going to freak out no matter what anyone did or said.

Callie pressed her face against the glass, bouncing a little in her seat. “It’s so pretty out this way,” she gushed. “Calamari is in the other direction I think! It feels good to get out of the city for a couple days in a row, huh?” 

Marie nodded. “It is. And our parents were ridiculously happy to see us,” she glanced out of her own window, feeling Jinx already leaning against her opposite shoulder. She didn’t dare move and spook her. “One of these days you’ll have to come with us, yeah?”

The butterflies came and went these days, no longer a constant surge of feeling, but the thought of Marie wanting to introduce her to more family than just Callie made them flutter in Jinx’s stomach. “I’d love that,” she hummed in agreement, pressing her cheek into Marie’s shoulder and closing her tired eyes. 

Between the gentle rocking lull of the train and how exhausted she was, Jinx figured she must have dozed off. She was grateful when Marie nudged her gently awake, that she hadn’t slept deeply enough to merit dreaming, and she rubbed an eye with the heel of her palm. 

Marie kissed her forehead out of habit before she could sit up and stretch, taking a moment to realize the train had stopped.

“We here?” She craned her neck to see out the window where, sure enough, the Barnacle Bay platform waited. The snow was deeper here than back in Inkopolis, but that didn’t surprise her this close to the ocean. She wasn’t complaining. 

The three of them disembarked, Callie wide eyed and twirling around excitedly. “Wow, it’s so quiet here!” She took Jinx’s hand and pulled her into a tight hug. “Thanks for inviting us!”

Laughing, Jinx graciously didn’t bring up the fact that it was less of an invitation and more them insisting on going with her. Besides, she was more than happy to have them tag along. 

“This is your final warning that my sisters are going to absolutely flip when they see you walk in,” she gave Callie a squeeze before pulling away again and looking around the platform. “Ame should be here somewhere-- _ oh carp _ \--!”

Two strong arms wrapped around her from behind and completely lifted her off the ground. Her immediate response was panic and her vision went white for a second, her brain screaming  _ get out get out get out-- _

“Gotcha!” Ame’s voice at her ear sounded muffled, but it eased the growing primal urge to bolt. He set her down again so she could turn to face him.

Well, she turned to  _ glare  _ at him. “Fucking rude!” Her voice cracked when she yelled, definitely too loud, and she felt Marie and Callie’s gazes both train on her. “Jeez, Ame, you can’t just  _ do  _ that!” 

The only thing that clued her into how aggressive she actually sounded was the smile disappearing from her brother’s face. Ame looked completely taken aback by her outburst, eyes flickering from her to Marie and back again. He held his hands up passively. 

“Whoa. Sorry,” his brow creased in worry. “Didn’t mean to scare you so bad...Are you okay…?”

Embarrassed by her outburst, Jinx rested a hand on her chest where her hearts fluttered erratically. She cleared her throat and shook her head. “Y-yeah. I’m fine. Er,” her cheeks flushed but she could blame it on the cold, at least. “Sorry.” 

Marie stepped to her side in a heartbeat, slipping her fingers between Jinx’s and squeezing gently. “Is this the infamous brother we’ve heard so much about?” She changed the topic smooth as silk, half-smiling in the way she did at the taller inkling. And he was definitely taller than she was, by at least four inches. 

“Yeah,” Jinx’s fingers trembled lightly as the adrenaline ebbed, swallowing down the growing bundle of nerves in her throat and pushing a smile back onto her face. “Lemme introduce you - Marie, Callie, this is my brother Ame.” 

Ame seemed hesitant to let the conversation move forward, his gaze lingering on his sister in a way that said they were definitely going to revisit this later. She withered a bit beneath it, glancing away to avoid the weight of his stare. Maybe it only felt like forever because she wanted it to be over, but he looked away at last and she sighed as inconspicuously as possible.

“It’s really nice to meet you both!” He greeted with a polite smile. “We’ve got a small mob at home that’s really excited to have you. Shall we?” 

The walk was blessedly filled with Callie’s chattering, asking about the town. Mentioning that she remembered the space they performed in, back when they were still relatively small names. Ame listened intently, pretending he was not completely and utterly starstruck with two of his idols being in the same space as he was. 

Jinx knew better. She made a mental note to tease him about it later, partly to distract him from the conversation they were bound to have. Because when they did, she was going to have to figure out a way around the truth. The Captain had made it very clear that the Octarian threat - and the New Squidbeak Splatoon, for that matter - were to be kept under wraps.

She didn’t want to think about that. That was the point of coming home, leaving all her baggage back in the city. Still holding tight to Marie’s hand, she kicked at a snow drift and focused on her breathing. 

Marie was there. And that was all she needed to be, right then. Her presence keeping the younger inkling grounded. 

Once the front porch came into view, there was that familiar wash of nostalgia that eased the tension in Jinx’s shoulders. They’d put up decorations, strings of lights along the roof and a small wreath on the door. In the yard stood an extremely disfigured snow squid, lop-sided smile made of little pebbles and a radish for a nose. 

She looked up to see the fond smile on Marie’s face as she took in the sight. “This is adorable,” she said. 

“It really is!” Callie moved closer to examine the snow squid, readjusting the old scarf draped around its short neck. When she glanced up toward the house again, there was a tiny, wide-eyed face pressed against the glass. Staring at her. So, she grinned and waved. 

The small inkling immediately disappeared from the window and some muffled yelling could be heard from inside.

Jinx stifled a laugh. “You’ve officially unleashed hell,” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would have combined this chapter with the next one but that would have been....way too many words.
> 
> Next chapter next Sunday~!


	17. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The respite continues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello naughty squidkids, it's Sunday! 
> 
> I don't have a lot to say about this one - though it is my favorite chapter so far. In which case, I would like to dedicate it to the lovely Teapot, for letting me bounce ideas back and forth with her and for...y'know. Generally just being a chill human. If you haven't checked out the blog 'Ask Aunt Spoon' on tumblr, you probably should.
> 
> Let the fluff commence!

The inside of the house smelled _ amazing. _Like cinnamon and cloves, gingerbread and the usual touch of wood smoke. Her father was already busy about the kitchen, a ridiculous old ‘kiss the cook’ apron tied around his waist, and he spared a moment to sweep in and kiss her forehead before excusing himself in a hurry. 

Jinx barely had a moment afterward to take everything in before the deluge of children descended onto them - thankfully they prepared a frontal assault, so she didn’t have to watch her back. She managed to wrangle at least four of her younger siblings before they could completely suffocate Callie and Marie - not that they didn’t try, of course. There were a lot of hugs and excited hellos before Jinx intervened. To her friends’ credit, they took it all well - she imagined they were really used to being swarmed by fans.

“If you don’t all go find something to do in five seconds, the three of us are leaving!” Jinx threatened when her initial requests for space were ignored, to which a few longing stares lingered. “I’m sure Dad could use your help with dinner, Flo? Siren, Shelly, Sandy - why don’t you guys go start picking out the decorations for the tree?”

It was almost impressive watching her delegate - Marie and Callie exchanged glances, the latter giggling knowingly, as the kids scattered to do as they were told. 

Squirt managed to slip through the cracks, the slippery little devil, clambering up onto the counter - nearly displacing a waiting bowl of washed potatoes - and giggling like a maniac as he threw himself at Marie with a very excited ‘woomy.’ With lightning-fast reflexes, she turned to catch him and held him at arm’s length.

And she smiled, so stunning and warm that it made Jinx’s insides soft. Well. Softer. 

“You must be the cabinet climber,” Marie laughed, earning another round of giggles from the squirming squid in her arms. 

Callie tugged her arms out of her jacket sleeves, scooting closer. “Aww, he’s adorable! Look at how squishy he is!!” To prove her point, she gently poked at Squirt’s cheeks, puffing out her own and blowing a raspberry. 

“Careful, he climbs heads too,” Ame said, coming away from the wall where he’d taken refuge from the temporary chaos. “I can take your coats if you want?” 

Jinx opened her arms and Marie deposited the still-wiggling Squirt into them carefully, pulling said coat off and draping it over her arm. “That’s alright. Where should we put them?”

“They can go in my old room,” Jinx spoke up as Marie took Callie’s from her. “I’ll take ‘em.”

Marie smiled. “No, I’ll go with you. I’m curious to see what kind of dark secrets you’ve been hiding,” she mused. 

The younger girl let out a slightly nervous laugh. “Oh. Sure,” she cleared her throat. There was nothing particularly incriminating in there, but she hadn’t stepped foot in her old bedroom for almost a year and a half. So who knew what she may have left out. “Hang on, lemme relocate this small animal.”

Squirt, who had busied himself snuggling his inky body up to his sister’s chest, protested loudly when she tried to put him down. “No, sissy!” He squirmed and held tight to her shirt, but she pried him off gently and set his little feet on the floor. “Cawwy!” 

For a six year old, he had a fairly loose grasp on language. Jinx would have to have a vocabulary lesson with him later, if she had time. “Not right now, Squirt - sissy has to go help Marie,” she kissed his nose and straightened up again. 

“I’ll take care of it,” Ame cut in, taking their pouting sibling’s hand. “C’mon buddy, let’s go play Sticky Squid!” 

The two disappeared from the kitchen and Jinx took a deep breath. 

“There’s a lot going on in this house,” Callie commented. “Is it always this crazy?” 

Jinx stepped out of the kitchen and into the connected living room, nodding with gusto.

“Oh yeah. Always loud, always a sibling to watch out for,” she glanced around as they crossed the larger room, taking care to note where each of her sisters had allocated. Shelly and Sandy were carefully laying out ornaments across the carpet, deciding which ones they wanted to hang first. Florence was back in the kitchen with her father, and Siren was nowhere in sight. “There’s added excitement with celebrities in the house, though.” 

Callie giggled, flopping down onto the couch. “I’ll chill here with your sibs for a minute!” She waved her hand in a shooing motion. “Maybe Ame has some juicy ‘baby Jinx’ stories he can tell me.” 

Hearing his name, Ame’s cheeks flushed the tiniest bit. “Oh, I’ve got one or two,” he composed himself quickly, settling down beside the other inkling with a cheeky grin on his face.

Jinx escaped as fast as she could before the blackmail could begin, Marie trailing behind her toward the end of a small hallway. 

The door was decorated near the bottom with a few stickers, mostly of cartoon characters and the like and definitely at eye-level with smaller inklings. Near the center a dry erase board hung, colorfully decorated with delicately-drawn flowers that Marie didn’t know the names of and vines that spelled out Jinx’s name. The aforementioned agent pushed open the door with her shoulder. 

“Did you make the sign?” Marie asked, following her into the small bedroom. 

“Nah,” Jinx haphazardly threw her coat onto the bed, proud of herself for having made it up the last time she was here. “Flo did that. She’s really good with flowers and stuff. Here, gimme those—” She reached to take the other two jackets from her girlfriend’s arms, laying them out a bit more neatly than her own. 

Hands free again, Marie straightened her sweater a bit and let her gaze pan around the room. It wasn’t exactly what she pictured, but at the same time it was very fitting. The walls were painted a soft cream color, with a few splotches of different colors looking like ink splatters here and there. She was a bit surprised to see not a single Squid Sisters poster, though maybe that was a bit self-serving of her.

“Wow,” she nodded. “You really don’t decorate much, do you?” Truly, it looked more like the room of someone who was never home than of a teenager from a small town. There were the essentials obviously - the bed, a small dresser, a night stand with a shell-motif lamp. It fit snugly in the space, just enough for one person. 

Jinx shrugged, taking a good look around herself. The orange glow of the setting sun crept in through the skylight above her bed, the sole reason she had insisted that she wanted this room when her family had moved in, and it made the whole place feel peaceful. 

“I guess not?” She hadn’t really thought about it. “I picked up most of my things when I moved out. There’s some posters and stuff at my apartment back in Inkopolis.” Even then, there wasn’t much. She didn’t collect, didn’t save. 

“I guess I took you for a sentimental hoarder,” Marie teased, to which Jinx wrinkled her nose. Her gaze fell upon a small collection of framed photographs, all lined up on top of the dresser. That showed promise - she folded her arms on top of the surface, leaning in to get a better look. 

Jinx stepped up beside her, folding her arms behind her back and scanning over the collection herself. She smiled as she started pointing each one out. “That one’s from Ame’s seventh birthday. He hasn’t eaten chocolate pudding ever since,” she snorted softly. “And this one’s Shelly, remember that record-player toothpaste story?” 

Marie listened intently for each one, stringing together bits and pieces of Jinx’s childhood in her mind. It sounded mundane, but full of good times and an abundance of love. It was no wonder she wore her heart on her sleeve - no one had ever taught her to be cautious with her feelings. 

“What’s this one?” She picked up the frame in the very center. Captured in the image were four inklings - two children, just barely out of their awkward squid phase, and two adults all gathered together as happily as could be. 

The smile on Jinx’s face faltered a little and for just a moment, she felt a wave of exhaustion rest on her shoulders. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath, reaching for the picture. “That’s the only picture we have of Mom,” she said quietly. “Usually she was the one taking the photos. There’s an album downstairs full of stuff she took.” 

Marie paused as she handed over the frame, gaze trained on her girlfriend as the realization dawned on her. Of course, there were only two reasons anyone would talk about a family member in the past tense. How had this not come up before? How had she not asked about Jinx’s mother, when it had almost been a _ year _ they’d been together? Being oblivious to that kind of information was just plain embarrassing. 

Unsure how to approach the topic and suddenly just as confused as to what to do with her hands, she folded her arms. “You kinda look like her, huh?” That was so cliche, she felt ridiculous even thinking it. 

Jinx shrugged, setting the frame back onto the dresser and making sure it was straight. “I guess,” her tone was still light. She smiled again, leaning up to kiss Marie’s cheek as she passed back toward the door. “C’mon, let’s go save Callie from my family.” 

Marie watched her go, brow furrowed. She stood there in that room, wondering what else she was going to learn about Jinx while they were here. With a soft sigh and one last lingering glance at the photos, she slipped out of the room.

—-

As it turned out, Squidmas with Jinx’s family was just as warm and comfortable as it was chaotic. The novelty of having Marie and Callie in their living room faded in the first hour or so, not long after their father emerged from the basement where he had gone to wrap presents. He was a tired-looking middle aged inkling who did his official parental introductions with a bright smile on his face, radiating kindness. 

“Name’s Finn,” he shook both of the Squid Sisters’ hands. “Sorry for bein’ so short in the kitchen earlier, lots to do y’know - it’s good to have ya, ladies. Good to see my little girl’s making friends!”

Jinx rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Thanks Dad,” she said. “Vote of confidence right there.” But she knew that he knew, she wasn’t known for her social skills.

They decorated the tree together every year, taking turns from youngest to oldest until the box of ornaments was empty. A few were the usual, round shimmering things with lovely patterns and glitter that shone like starlight in the strings of lights. There were several that looked homemade, little things made of shells and googly eyes, all ranging in quality. 

Marie covered a smile with her palm when she pulled out a particularly disproportioned Father Squidmas, put together with popsicle sticks and small pompoms. It was signed in bright red on the back, a messy child’s scrawl that very clearly said ‘Jinx.’ 

“Can I hang this one?” She asked, dangling it in front of the creator's nose. 

Jinx tried not to laugh. “Only if you swear you never saw it,” She turned toward the tree. “Actually, that’s a good idea - Callie, do you wanna hang one too?” 

Callie jumped up from her spot on the couch, where she had been watching fondly. “Heck yeah I do!”

They all had their own families, but Callie and Marie were welcomed among Jinx’s home as easily as breathing. They had dinner in the living room, shared as many stories as they could - avoiding anything NSS related, for multiple reasons - laughed and talked as the day stretched into night. 

Shelly and Siren showed off bits of their sea glass collection to Callie, telling her about each and every one, and she listened with fascination. Marie, at some point, had acquired a six year old - Squirt settled down in her lap and curled up against her, drifting off to sleep without much bravado while Siren practiced singing a few bars of an old Squidmas carol. 

Jinx caught herself, on more than one occasion, glancing around at everyone in the living room of the home she grew up and feeling raw emotion brim inside of her. She had three hearts, and they were all so unbelievably full - her exhaustion and anxiety tucked away on the back burner with all of this to distract her. She didn’t jump, didn’t even twitch when Ame sat beside her on the floor and draped an arm over her shoulders. 

She leaned into her brother and let out a deep, contented sigh. 

“It’s good to have ya home,” he gently headbutted her, thankful she didn’t flinch. “Never thought I’d be spending Squidmas with a celebrity, I mean…The inkling dating pop sensation Marie Cuttlefish? In _ our _humble home?” 

Jinx laughed. “Try not to be too starstruck,” she teased. “I’ll be signing autographs later.”

Ame laughed too, twisting the beanie atop her head so it sat askew. As badly as he wanted to ask what had her so touchy, maybe now just...wasn’t the time. It still bothered him, how poorly she’d reacted at the platform earlier, but now she seemed okay. He could probably wait until after the holidays. Maybe he’d pay her a visit in Inkopolis, where they’d have time to talk without all the madness.

When Jinx glanced up again, she caught Marie’s eye. The older inkling smiled at her, and oh, she thought her chest might burst wide open. She smiled back, for a moment in complete awe. If someone had told her a year ago that she’d be spending Squidmas Eve with Marie, watching her youngest brother snooze contentedly in the idol’s lap and surrounded by nothing but love, she would have laughed at how ludicrous it sounded. 

Marie tipped her head a bit and she realized she was staring, likely with a dreamy smile across her face. She didn’t try to hide it. Russet eyes never shifted away from glimmering amber. All Jinx could do was be reminded how lucky she was. How cliche it was, that everything else really did become background noise in moments like this and the two of them could share a world that was just...theirs. 

“Alright,” Finn broke the comfortable silence between them. “I think it’s about time all squiddos got to bed!” 

Jinx reluctantly tore away from Marie, glancing over at her father. With a soft sigh, she pushed herself up off the floor and prepared to help gather her siblings. Shelly, Sandy, and Siren were already starting to whine. 

“But Papa, we didn’t even get to show Callie the rest of our sticker collection!” The twins complained in unison. 

“And I’m not tired!” Siren jumped in, though she rubbed at her eyes as she said it. 

Jinx opened her mouth to present them with a sound argument, but to her surprise, Callie beat her to it. 

“Weeelll, if you’re sure you don’t wanna go to sleep…” She shrugged, about to earn a whole new level of respect from the girls. “But you know, Father Squidmas won’t come if you don’t!” 

Marie jumped in without a second thought. “That’s alright, Cal,” she hummed. “I guess they just don’t want any presents this year. They’d rather hang out with us all night.” 

The silence lasted for half a beat, at most, before the three young squids all tripped over themselves (and each other) as they scrambled onto their feet. They took turns quickly hugging Callie, who was fighting laughter, Marie, Ame and Jinx, and Finn. Saying their goodnights before scampering off toward their bedroom. 

“You ladies are naturals with the kids,” Finn chuckled, hoisting himself out of his arm chair and stepping toward Marie. “I’m surprised they didn’t wear ya out! They’re a rambunctious bunch.” When he reached out for Squirt, Marie was already gently lifting the smallest inkling up to pass him over. He stirred a bit, eyelids fluttering as he murmured and squirmed, but settled back down as soon as he was curled against his father’s shirt. 

“Nah,” Marie shrugged. “We’re used to it.”

“We’ve got a lotta younger fans,” Callie said, scooting a bit closer to Marie on the couch. “They’re all totally adorable!” 

Finn beamed proudly. “They can be a handful, but they sure are mine,” he kissed Squirt’s forehead. “I’m gonna take this runt to bed, then probably hit the hay. You kids don’t stay up too late, or Father Squidmas really won’t come!” And with a wink, he disappeared back to the basement. 

Marie’s expression turned bemused. “That’s cute,” she rested her elbow on the arm of the sofa, propping her cheek up against her palm. “Your siblings still believe in Father Squidmas?” 

“He’s real!” Ame said quickly, jaw snapping shut when three pairs of eyes turned to stare at him. He cleared his throat, a nervous little smile twitching at the corner of his mouth, before giving a very exaggerated yawn. “Well, think I’d better get some sleep, too. Make sure to show them where the guest room is, Jinx.” 

With a little wave, he was gone, leaving just the three of them sitting beside the tree. The soft glow of the lights strung through the boughs, catching little glass icicles and shifting slowly from one color to the next, gave the room such a magical feeling. Something about Squidmas was just… like that. It eased her paranoia, kept her from looking over her shoulder. Kept her grounded and relaxed.

“Your family is nice,” Marie said after a moment. “I’m glad we came.” 

Callie nodded. “Does your dad, like, work from home?” She leaned on Marie’s shoulder. “Is your mom out of town or something? That seems kinda suckish, on Squidmas.”

Jinx opened her mouth, closed it again, and took a breath. She thought she could’ve avoided this subject, dodged that bullet when she’d changed the subject on Marie earlier. May as well rip the band-aid off and be done with it.

“Mom’s not with us anymore,” it was easy now. She’d said it so many times. “She passed away shortly after Squirt was born.” 

Marie pursed her lips, and Callie’s smile immediately faltered. 

“--It’s fine,” Jinx continued. “We’re all doing just fine! Dad takes great care of everything, and Ame comes home on the weekends. It’s not a big deal.” She waved dismissively, drawing her knees up and winding her arms around them loosely. Honestly, she just wanted to get the information out so they wouldn’t start trying to apologize or sympathize. 

She didn’t want the air in the room to change into anything less than the comfort it was now. 

“You know,” Marie finally spoke. “I’m actually pretty surprised you don’t stay here and just. Come into the city on the weekends. That seems like it would be easier.”

Callie nodded. “You could be closer to your family?” 

Finally, a foothold. Jinx smiled at the pair of them, shaking her head. “I’d miss you both too much,” she said, like it was the easiest answer in the world. “My home is in Inkopolis. With you.” 

Callie’s smile returned full force as she looped her arms around one of Marie’s and pressed her cheek into her cousin’s shoulder. “Aww, Jinx,” she cooed. “You’re so cute.” 

Jinx laughed, shrugging a bit. It was the first time she’d ever expressed how she felt about her friends with actual words instead of actions. “The guest room is next to my room,” She said after another moment. “If you guys are tired at all.” 

The Squid Sisters exchanged glances. “Actually,” Callie spoke first. “Yeah. I think I’m gonna go get some sleep. After all, can’t get presents if I don’t!” She was always so chipper, and Jinx was grateful for the times it was contagious. Getting to her feet, she hid a wide yawn behind her hand. 

“Mm, you could use some extra freshness,” Marie teased, and Callie stuck her tongue out in retaliation.

Jinx led Callie to the door in question, poking her head in to make sure everything was in order. “If you need anything at all, my room’s right beside this one,” she said. “There’s an extra blanket under the bed, and...yeah, I think that’s it?” 

Nodding, the taller girl turned a meaningful gaze toward her friend. “Hey...listen,” she reached up and took Jinx’s face in her hands, a gentle and familiar touch. “If you need to talk about anything, you know, I’m always here for you too.” 

While she had no idea where the sentiment came from, it was still sweet and Jinx rested a hand against one of Callie’s. “I know, Cal,” she said quietly. “I’m okay. Really.” 

Neither of them really believed that. 

Callie searched her face for any kind of opening, somewhere she could wiggle in and pick apart all of the tangled thoughts that kept giving her friend nightmares. Just to ease them a little, if that was all she could manage. But Jinx had been upping her defensive game, and there was no sign of faltering in her tired smile. 

The older girl sighed, pulling Jinx into a hug. “Try to get some sleep, we’ve got a lot to do tomorrow,” she said when she pulled back. Hand on the door as she slipped into the guest room, she threw a wink over her shoulder. “Don’t stay up too late!” 

The door closed and Jinx was left with a light dusting of purple across her cheeks. 

All was quiet in the living room at last, when she came back. At the risk of sounding hopelessly in love, Jinx took advantage of the fact that her girlfriend’s attention was elsewhere and found herself waxing poetic. 

How could she not? Marie sat elegantly on her hip, one leg curled beneath her while the other stretched out across the cushions. The off-the-shoulder knit sweater and leggings combo that would have been average on anyone else, but it was so _ fresh _on her. Her elbow resting on the arm of the couch, she kept her chin propped in her palm. Hooded golden eyes trained on the tree, lost in thought. 

Jinx swallowed as she stood there, taking in every single detail. Holding her gaze, even when Marie’s attention drifted lazily toward her. 

She smiled.

So did Marie. 

“You’re staring,” Her voice was soft in the quiet, smooth as milk and sweet as honey. 

“Oops,” Jinx pretended it was an accident. 

Slowly, she moved toward the couch.

Slowly, Marie shifted, sitting up. 

They never broke eye contact. Jinx pressed a knee onto the couch to the right of Marie’s hip. Then the other, on the left. She settled into the taller girl’s lap comfortably, draping her arms loosely over bare shoulders. 

Marie rested her hands on Jinx’s hips, thumbs brushing - slowly - back and forth. She watched brown eyes flicker and swore she caught fleeting glimpses of Jinx’s train of thought. 

A tiny smile lit her face. 

“Ready to go to bed?” Marie asked, in a way that set goosebumps rolling across Jinx’s skin. “Wait for Father Squidmas and all that?” 

She only waited a second before she responded, brushing Marie’s fringe back with her fingertips and swallowing past the bundle of nerves growing in her throat. “I’m not tired,” she fibbed. 

Marie raised a brow. 

“...I don’t want to go to sleep,” Jinx corrected herself. Her pulse picked up pace with each passing second, knowing what she wanted to ask but not brave enough to do so. 

A knowing hum. A thoughtful tilt of the head. Marie trailed her fingers delicately up from her partner’s hip, barely lifting the hem of her shirt to touch bronze skin beneath, _ watching _Jinx’s breath hitch. 

“No?” It was imperative that she feigned nonchalance. She cared, absolutely - but she would be remiss not to work a straight answer out of the other inkling. “I suppose we could play some more Twenty Questions.” 

Jinx knew what Marie was doing. It made her insides twist, fanned embers that waited patiently for more fuel. “No,” she shook her head, swallowing and shifting her hips. Closer. “I don’t want to do that, either.” 

They stared each other down like that for a few seconds. Marie, ready to hold out for an answer, and Jinx hoping she wouldn’t have to speak the words into existence. She was flustered just thinking about it, already starting to lose the cool she’d managed to collect prior to slipping into her partner’s lap. On the couch. In the living room, of her family home, oh cod.

Before she could second guess herself any further, she took a deep breath and kissed Marie with _ purpose _. Spilling feelings and words into the action so loudly, so obviously, that there was no way to miss it. And oh, Marie didn’t miss it at all. She was ready to hold her ground until actual words came out, but she kissed back, slipping her fingers along the warm skin just above the hem of her partner’s jeans. 

It didn’t last long. Marie was willing to give her a little leeway, but she had made up her mind and they were doing this on _ her _terms now. Before the kiss could get too heated, she bit down on Jinx’s lower lip - not hard enough to draw blood, but enough that the girl gasped and jerked back a bit in surprise. When she opened her mouth to ask, Marie brought a finger up to her lips. 

“Use your words,” she said, quietly and with intent. “Or we aren’t going anywhere but to sleep.” The ultimatum, for that was definitely what it was, accompanied by a squeeze to Jinx’s hips.

At least one of her hearts stopped. She was positive about that, her throat running dry as the heat in her gut flared. She tried to swallow, but the way Marie was looking at her made her forget how. Tried to breathe, tried to think - she had to cool it. 

She licked her lips, sat there on the Squid Sister’s lap trying to revive her brain’s flatline. 

“...My room,” Jinx said at last, her voice surprisingly even. “My bed.”

They didn’t move. Marie was still staring at her, waiting, but she couldn’t tell how patiently. 

“_ Now,” _then, a bit less brave: “...please.”

Despite herself, Marie smiled. She tried not to laugh, shaking her head and dragging her hands down Jinx’s thighs. “Get up,”

She didn’t have to say it twice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh ho ho. ;) I know what you're thinking. 
> 
> I, however, will not be posting smut on this particular platform. 
> 
> We've got about one more chapter of fluffy goodness to go before we get back to your regularly scheduled program, but admittedly I don't think I'll be able to post next weekend - Black Friday and Cyber Monday week go back to back, and they changed my work schedule to accommodate the rabid shoppers. My face will be planted in a computer...just not this one. 
> 
> I hope y'all don't mind waiting an extra week for the last chapter of the Squidmas arc! You rock. Keep rockin. Bye!! 
> 
> ~Rove


	18. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merry Squidmas to all, and to all a good night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Welcome back. I hope you had a good holiday, and for my retail workers I hope you survived Black Friday!!
> 
> Enjoy the chapter - keep in mind that there will be insinuated fade-to-black, but no actual explicit content. Not online. :3c

The thought that her childhood bedroom was maybe not the  _ best  _ place for this sort of thing only occurred to Jinx after she’d made her decision, and only hung around for a split second anyway. All that mattered was the desperate need to curl her fingers into her girlfriend’s sweater and yank her close, crashing their lips together like waves. Again, and again, more and deeper and as seamless as possible.

Marie made no protest, initial surprise shoved to the wayside as she answered the call with equal fervor. She couldn’t remember the last time Jinx had kissed her like this - aching, needy,  _ searing _ in a way that set her insides ablaze. Hands flew up to hold the other’s face and she closed her eyes to better focus on the abundance of raw emotion trying to form into words between them.

But as Jinx’s hands moved to press into Marie’s sides and lips met over and over like the ebb and flow of the tide, she realized it was new. Something that they’d never said before, something that tasted like molten sugar on her tongue and had her craving it. Needing to hear it, needing to say it back. 

Standing there in the middle of her bedroom, miles and miles away from anything that had been trying to divide them, they kissed in a way they’d been denying for months - like two teenagers who couldn’t get enough of each other. Jinx had barely gotten a taste to sate her when she pulled back for air. 

“Marie,” she breathed out, fingers curled tightly into Marie’s sweater at her hips. But she didn’t have anything to add. 

Besides, Marie couldn’t help the swell of pride that came with the way Jinx said her name. Breathless and wanting, a state  _ she  _ had put her in. She touched her forehead to the shorter girl’s and smiled. 

Neither of them spoke for a moment, just standing there holding each other and sharing breath in the same space. No stage. No performance, no busy pop star life. No NSS. Just the two of them. 

The realization was almost thrilling. Jinx let it ripple through her, let it make her feel giddy and the tiny smile she gave Marie was mischievous. She backed away a step, not far enough that fabric stretched because she sure as hell wasn’t letting go of her girlfriend. Instead she tugged lightly at the sweater, brown eyes fixed pointedly onto amber and communicating in no uncertain terms. 

The mattress on the floor sank just the tiniest bit when Jinx perched on the edge of it. Never taking her gaze from Marie, she scooted closer to the center of the bed. 

Marie wasn’t far behind her. She picked up the hint before it could hit the ground, moving with her partner and leaning in to steal another kiss as she slid one knee onto the sheets. This one was less urgent, deliberate, lips brushing in slow repetition. She pressed one hand to the bed for balance as Jinx leaned back a little, tipping her chin up with her fingertips. 

Jinx draped her arms around the back of Marie’s neck, eyes drifting shut again as she fell into the rhythm. It had been so long since they’d done this - the second time she’d had that thought in the last however-many-minutes-had-passed-she-didn’t-care - and oh, how it reminded her that she could have happily spent the rest of her life kissing Marie. 

She sighed into her girlfriend’s mouth, dragging her fingertips up the back of her neck to tug gently at one of her tentacles. Still tied up in that ridiculous, gorgeous bow. Marie hummed in response, bumping her nose against Jinx’s and not even bothering to pull away when she spoke at last. 

“I missed you,” Uncharacteristic though it may have been for her to put it into words, she couldn’t help it. She couldn’t leave it unsaid, not when she felt it so sincerely in that moment.

Her voice was like velvet and Jinx could feel her insides liquefying at the sound. She shared the sentiment, completely and utterly, and she wasted no time getting another taste of Marie’s lips to say it back. She grew bold then, barely brushing her tongue across the older girl’s lower lip when she pulled back. 

Encouraged by the gesture, Marie let out a soft hum and pressed a hand onto her girlfriend’s shoulder, the most serene smile crossing her face as she quickly pushed her down. “Someone’s getting a little frisky,” she teased.

Jinx made a soft sound of surprise that dissolved into laughter. “You’re just,” she took a breath. Complimenting Marie was so hard, because nothing she could think of sounded good enough. “I can’t help myself. You’re so pretty.” 

Like she could condense the millions of adjectives she wanted into one really lame one. Marie was far more than ‘pretty.’ She was stunning, she was elegant. Eyes like liquid gold, tentacles like moonlight, milky skin to match. Every time she smiled, Jinx went weak at the knees. Her laughter came through as music in its own right, and the sound of her voice brought comfort in the worst situations. 

Though she wasn’t privy to Jinx’s inner dialogue, Marie rolled her eyes good-naturedly at the praise that  _ did  _ come out. “Smooth,” she leaned down and kissed the girl’s forehead, then her nose. “How did you keep all the ladies of Barnacle Bay off you, hm?”

Retaliation was as quick and easy as a hand against the back of Marie’s head, pulling her back in close. In a rare flex of her non-existent power over spoken word, she purred, “I told ‘em I was waiting on someone  _ exceptional _ .”

It was so cheesy, so over the top and out of place that Marie couldn’t help but laugh. Laugh at how ridiculous it was, and how  _ good  _ it made her feel despite that. She fed off of the buzzing energy built between them, keeping it going, pressing languid kisses against Jinx’s lips and feeling her reciprocate with a swell of satisfaction. What a rush, to have that kind of influence on someone else. 

Arms still securely around her partner’s neck, Jinx broke away to breathe. The pause didn’t make her nerves feel any less raw, each touch electric and borderline overstimulating when Marie started rubbing circles against her hip. A shaky sigh escaped through her nose. 

“I’m only going to ask this once,” amber eyes fixed on Jinx’s brown ones. “Are you sure you want to do this?” 

Her first instinct was to lean up and kiss her again. That would have been answer enough, when everything inside of her was screaming  _ yes  _ so loudly it drowned out every other thought. But something about the way Marie was looking at her said that wouldn’t suffice at all. She wanted a real answer, one word of affirmation. 

This was a side of her that Jinx hadn’t seen yet. It made her feel more vulnerable than she ever had, completely helpless against every word offered with such confidence. Marie knew what she wanted; she always had. It was Jinx’s turn to learn how to speak  _ her  _ language. 

Ridiculously, she could feel herself beginning to tremble, but there was no fear. Anticipation? She couldn’t place it, a shiver accompanied by the pooling heat in her stomach. 

She swallowed. Hard. “I’m sure,” Her voice didn’t shake around the truth.

And Marie smiled and kissed her again, all heat and desire, and Jinx melted.

\---

If she was being completely honest with herself, a practice she took pride in excelling at, romance wasn’t really Marie’s style. It never had been. She didn’t see the point in it, in waxing poetic about how another person  _ changed her life  _ or was  _ the half that made her whole _ . She was a whole person. There was no need for anyone to “complete” her. 

In the last nine months, none of that had changed, per se. Her morals didn’t magically shift overnight; the only real difference she noticed was herself growing...softer. The sharp edges smoothing a bit, the line between professional and her true self blurring more and more. A side of her that only one other person got to experience, and she was finally starting to share it with another. 

None of that made her a hopeless romantic, of course, and she would never label herself as such.

Still, she would be lying if she said she wouldn’t be willing to do this for as long as she was allowed. To wake up early by chance, warm and content, and look down to see another inkling curled up against her chest. Watching the sunlight filter in through the skylight and shimmer across the dark skin of her shoulders and back, Marie chased the rays with her fingertips, running along the dip where she imagined a spine would be. 

If squids had bones.

She glossed over that thought and refocused on the moment she could share with her fellow agent - it still felt odd to use the word ‘girlfriend.’ Watching the slightest twitch of skin where the pads of her fingers touched, where her fingernails grazed just right. The reactions she could garner without Jinx even conscious were intoxicating in their own right; she couldn’t help but be pleased with herself. 

Perhaps that was what the light fluttering in her chest was all about. Callie had said something about love, but Marie had never been sure. She still wasn’t  _ sure _ , but she supposed that she was getting closer to the answer.

In her musing, there was a shift and a soft, sleepy groan from the body draped over hers. While her first instinct was to draw her hand back and pretend she hadn’t been vulnerable, she traced small circles instead, a smile ready on her face when Jinx lifted her head and blinked slowly at her. 

It took Jinx a moment to collect her thoughts, pull something out of the jumbled cloud leftover from sleep. The first thing she could find were memories of the night before, her cheeks warming as a smile ever-so-slowly spread across her face. 

The second thought was Marie. 

Marie, who was smiling at Jinx in a way that made her want to bury her face against the crook of her neck and never leave that comfortable spot. Marie, whose taste still lingered on her tongue, whose name she had breathed over and over like an incantation just a few hours prior. 

They were both quiet for a moment, Jinx focused on the steady beat of Marie’s hearts beneath her palms and the light sensation of fingernails on her skin. All she wanted to do was lean in and kiss her, get another taste. Maybe another after that, and another, until they could make their way to a lazy round two. 

Instead, all hell broke loose when the door swung open and a blur of ink  _ shot  _ across the room, launching onto the bed and shrieking with laughter. 

Squirt super-jumped his little self  _ squarely  _ on the middle of Jinx’s back, knocking the wind out of her and further sandwiching her against Marie with a pained grunt. He was absolutely beaming, small hands pushing repeatedly on his sister’s shoulders. 

“Sissy, it’s Sqwuidmas!! Get up, get up, pwesents!!!” He insisted, shifting his eager gaze to Marie as she tried not to laugh. 

Jinx did not find it nearly as amusing. Wheezing, she reached behind her and groped around for the blanket so she could pull it over her girlfriend - for goodness’ sake, they were both very naked - and Marie calmly took it from her, adjusting to tuck it around herself. 

“Squirt, for crying out loud,” she groaned. She loved him, she really did. But she could’ve smothered him with a pillow in that moment. Her shirt, where was her shirt, where were her  _ pants _ \-- What was she thinking, wanting to do this in a house that didn’t understand the concept of closed doors?

Of course, it couldn’t just end at Squirt. No, sure enough, a very amused Marie looked up to the doorway just in time to watch Callie poke her head in. 

“Good morning, sleepy heads!” She chirped, fingers curled around the door frame. “Sleep well? Sweet dreams~?” It was the kind of tone that suggested she knew  _ exactly  _ what she was walking into. 

Jinx’s face was absolutely burning by that point and she wanted to sink into the mattress and disappear. She settled for rolling off of her girlfriend and burying her face into the pillow. “Please kill me,” her voice came muffled through the plush. Marie patted the top of her head, mostly consoling but with just a sliver of pity. 

“Cal, can you hand me that shirt?” She gestured toward the discarded piece of clothing on the floor, reaching over carefully and lifting Squirt away from his sister-shaped trampoline. He immediately shifted into his squid form, flopping with surprising height from her arms to the top of her head and squealing in joy. She was, to her credit, unbothered by it. 

Callie sashayed her way into the room, all smug smiles and light-hearted humming. “I’ll just let everyone know you’ll be out in a few?” She handed her cousin the clothing in question, which was promptly pulled on over notably pristine skin. “Should we give you an extra ten minutes? Need that long?” 

_ “Callie! _ ” Jinx wailed into the pillow. 

“C’mon, lil guy!” Callie scooped Squirt off from his perch and into her arms. “Let’s let the lovebirds wake up. See you out there!” 

With a wink, she slipped out and pointedly closed the door behind her. 

Comfortable quiet sank back in, interrupted only by the distant sounds of life stirring beyond the hallway. Marie glanced down at her girlfriend, or rather, the back of her head. She was still subtly attempting to smother herself with the pillow.

“Guess what,” she said. 

Jinx turned her head, pressing her cheek into the soft surface instead and shifting one brown eye up. “Mmph?” 

Marie gave her a knowing smile. “You slept through the night,” 

It took a moment for the words to sink in, her thoughts still scattered from the mess of a morning they’d had so far. Slowly, she pushed herself up into a sitting position, rubbing self-consciously at her bruised collar and letting the realization dawn on her.

She couldn’t remember a single nightmare. She hadn’t woken up crying, nauseous, or screaming. Whether it was being at home or being with Marie, or the…  _ activities  _ they’d gotten up to, it didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. For the first time in weeks, she didn’t feel completely exhausted. 

With a small, contented smile, she leaned over and rested against Marie. Letting herself hope that things were finally going to get back to normal.

\---

Jinx spent the vast majority of Squidmas morning in something of a daze, light-hearted and feeling like she would float off at any moment. It was crazy how different everything was when she was here, when she could be with  _ all  _ of her family and not just one or the other. She played Sticky Squid with Squirt for a bit to keep him busy, lobbing him gently at the living room wall and watching as he slowly flopped down, end over end, giggling the whole time.

He was easy to please. Plus, now that she wasn’t mortified at the idea he’d almost walked in on her and Marie, she could be proud of him - leaping onto her had been his very first super jump.

Ame hovered for a bit, acting like he wanted to pull his sister aside for an overdue conversation, but she looked so happy. He still couldn’t, in good conscience, bring up what may have been a touchy subject - he finally resolved to call her after the holidays and have a serious discussion about it. He couldn’t ever remember her reacting quite so viciously to being scooped into an unexpected hug.

In the meantime, he took note of the not-subtle collection of bruises peeking out from the collar of her t-shirt. She had pulled her tentacles over her shoulders to try and hide them, and their sisters didn’t seem to notice, but Ame coudn’t help himself. 

Especially not when Callie caught him staring and nudged him with her elbow, grinning devilishly at him. 

“Did you get into a fight with a leech, Jinx?” He threw in casually, lounging in a chair at the kitchen table while the kids opened presents in the other room. Callie stood behind him with that impish grin on her face, arms folded behind her back. Pretending to be innocent.

Cheeks flushed a dark purple and Jinx felt her shoulders tense up, even as she reached into a cabinet to find a glass. Taking a deep breath, she made sure to compose her face before she turned back with a big smile plastered on. Going for the fridge to grab some juice.

“Impromptu one-v-one,” She offered as she poured, completely aware that no one believed her. “New Squidmas Eve tradition.” 

From the living room, all three of them could’ve sworn they heard a stifled snort. Of course, that was probably their imaginations, because Marie was far more composed than that.

“Looks like  _ you _ took one too many shots with a charger,” Callie rested an elbow on Ame’s shoulder, leaning forward. “Marie’s got good aim, huh?” 

The internal screaming was real and Jinx took a large gulp from her juice to avoid answering.

In a lot of ways, nothing had changed. The rest of the day seemed to fly by, with kids playing with new toys or doodling in new sketchbooks - Florence had specifically asked for one, she kept filling hers up - and the four eldest indulged in a few joke rounds of Truth or Dare to pass the time. 

Callie usually won that game. She asked questions that made people squirm just enough to avoid them. (Besides Marie, who would answer anything with nonchalance. She had a will of steel.) 

No, nothing was really different besides the proximity that Jinx and Marie kept around each other. They were never too far apart - always sitting so that they were touching somehow, be it snugly next to each other or holding hands. At one point, the older inkling sat sideways and stretched her legs out over Jinx’s lap like they belonged there, carrying on the conversation she was having with Ame the whole time. 

Jinx smoothed her palms over her girlfriend’s knees and felt  _ home. _

In the early afternoon, Callie’s phone rang and she excused herself to take care of it. She returned to the living room with a huge grin on her face, barely able to contain herself as she bounced on her toes. Marie tipped her head in question and Jinx listened in. 

“That was my agent,” Callie said. “You remember that role I auditioned for a couple months ago?” 

Jinx nodded first. “Yeah, for that movie--  _ Fish Congeniality _ , right?” 

An enthusiastic nod. 

Before Callie could deliver the news, Marie’s eyes lit up. “You got the part?” 

“ _ I got the part!! _ ” She spun around, squealing in pure delight. “Oh my cod, Merry Squidmas to me!” 

As if the day couldn’t get any better. Jinx leaned back into the couch cushions, the smile a permanent fixture on her face as she listened distantly to the ongoing chatter - about the movie, about the part, all of the congratulations… 

She would have been perfectly content if everything stayed, just like that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew. Updates should be back to normal for awhile, I've got some extra content already written and ready to go. Have a great week!


	19. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some much needed talks about feelings. Also, Callie's a movie star now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost didn't get this out - but here we are! This'll be another long chapter, and we're getting pretty close to the end here. I hope you all are ready and also enjoy it. <3

Marie knew this was going to happen.

Of course she did. She was all too familiar with the busy life of pop stars and movie stars alike, and when Callie landed her first big role, she was prepared for just how little they were going to be seeing each other in the coming months. It was constantly at the back of her mind. She didn’t let it dictate her moods - she was far more put-together than that. 

She had coping mechanisms. Perfectly healthy ones. Like throwing herself into her music, working on her solo career, things she had been planning to do for quite some time. Making sure to text her girlfriend at least once a day in the madness, just a tiny thing that kept her sane. 

Jinx...didn’t take it as well. Partially because without Callie around, there was a distinct lack of uplifting energy in the apartment. It didn’t help matters at all that Marie spent less and less time there, too. Whenever the youngest squid of the group came home, it was almost always empty. Just like final splatfest, but multiplied more than she was expecting. Ame started pulling her out of the apartment more often, insisting she come do some ranked matches with him so she wouldn’t go stir-crazy, and for the most part it helped.

She tried looking on the bright side.

Point the first: her nightmares were fewer and spaced out a lot more. The content had changed as well - while they weren’t comfortable by any means, they weren’t completely terrifying anymore. She didn’t feel sick when she woke up, either. Not sick enough to throw up.

Point the second: when she  _ did  _ get a chance to catch Callie, the pair stayed up way too late chatting, and it felt like nothing had changed. They ate too much junk food and played video games, giving Callie a chance to just be  _ Callie  _ again.

As for Marie, they kept in touch fairly well all things considered. Texts went back and forth, conversations lacking any real substance but a lot of small life updates and out-of-context thoughts-- 

_ [jinx] this kid with a charger just shot his teammate right in the eye _

_ [marie] Omg. As a charger main I’m highly insulted. _

_ [jinx] he cried, it was amazing _

_ [marie] That’s cold, Agent 3. _

_ [marie] Did you get pics tho _

Her favorite days were the ones where, no matter how busy Marie was, she would get a single text that said ‘this day sucks barnacles. Hope you’re home later.’ Because that meant she was missed, and even on the worst days it was always nice to be reminded.

Their relationship had always been more physical than verbal, and that was how Jinx liked it. Even if, no matter how many times she said ‘I love you’ in her way, Marie hadn’t quite said it back. No matter how much attention she paid to the way she was kissed, the pressure of fingertips or nails against her skin, she still couldn’t pick up those three simple words. 

That was okay with her. She made herself be okay with it. She didn’t ask, she didn’t want to push, and it got set aside as one of those things they simply didn’t talk about. Oh, but how desperately she hoped that Marie loved her, too.

In the meantime, she enjoyed it for what it had turned into. For what it still was. For cold coffee in the late morning, for tired smiles across the center island in the kitchen. For constant strings of text messaging throughout the day and for breathless whispers in the darkness at night.

Jinx hadn’t mentioned to Marie that their one-year anniversary was coming up. She wasn’t sure if she should. On the one hand, her girlfriend had a knack for details and probably remembered. She ran the risk of sounding pushy, at best, anxious at worst. Not that she  _ wasn’t  _ anxious. Which was ridiculous. After an entire year together, she felt like she should know better.

So, she didn’t bring it up. Neither did Marie. The time they were able to meet up in between busy schedules was far better spent talking about other things, going out for lunch dates - which were becoming increasingly difficult, with the idol’s ever-growing popularity - and otherwise just… being.

The day  _ before  _ the Big Day, while Marie was at rehearsal, Jinx came home to find Callie sprawled on the couch with an arm draped over her face. It wasn’t terribly late, just past noon, so it was odd to see her there. Still, the younger inkling felt just a little lighter at the sight, and she propped her elbows up on the back of the couch. 

“You good, Cal?” She smiled, leaning over. 

An exaggerated groan came from the back of Callie’s throat. “I love being an actress,” she insisted. “I love living my dream. This movie is great.” There was no sarcasm, of course she meant it, but she sounded so drained. An odd way to think of the upbeat girl. 

Jinx didn’t  _ need  _ to say it, but she did anyway. “Sounds exhausting,” she reached over to where one of her friend’s legs was draped over the back of the couch, giving her knee a consoling pat. “Want me to make some tea or anything?” 

The arm not draped over Callie’s face lifted and she gave a thumbs up. “I would love that,” 

She went through the motions, getting the kettle onto the burner and waiting at the kitchen counter for it to boil. Mugs, tea bags, sugar just in case. “So how’s filming going, anyway?” She propped her chin up in one hand. 

Callie shifted at last, rolling over onto her stomach and dropping her chin onto the arm of the couch. “It’s good!” She said. “Well, we haven’t started actually shooting yet. They’re still messin’ with the script. It’s probably gonna start getting nuts in a couple days, when they fire up the cameras.” 

She kept going as Jinx poured the hot water, prattling about the director and other actors. Apparently her co-star was actually really hitting on her between rehearsals, and she worried if she tried to dissuade him it might mess up the dynamic. She finally sat up to take the mug from her friend, who perched across from her. 

“You should probably just tell him,” Jinx shrugged. “If he throws a fit, he throws a fit. What’s the worst that could happen?” 

Callie hummed around the sip of tea she took. “Speaking of romance,” a little smile touched her lips. “How are you and Marie doing? I feel super out of touch!” 

The younger inkling burned her tongue with a too-large gulp of tea. “We’re fine,” she said quickly. Because they were, and this conversation shouldn’t be difficult to have. “We text a lot, and we get to see each other as often as we see you, but. Y’know. We still...yeah.” 

“Mhmm,” with a completely lackluster response like that, Callie found her opening to press. It wasn’t that she was nosy. She just wanted to make sure everything was going okay without her input. She knew them both too well. “Isn’t your anniversary coming up?” 

Jinx nodded, slowly. Of course Callie remembered. 

“Do you have any plans…?” 

Maybe if she took another drink, she wouldn’t have to answer. So she did. 

Leaning against the arm of the couch, Callie pulled her knees up and held her mug atop one. A soft sigh escaped her. 

“She has studio stuff that day,” Jinx finally said, trying not to catch Callie’s expression. It was a completely different story when she was thinking about it, but speaking the words into existence made it seem… stupid. “We probably wouldn’t have time to--”

“Have you even asked?” 

She hadn’t. She pressed her mouth into a tight line. 

Callie took a slow, deep breath, keeping that smile on her face as she set her mug on the coffee table. “Jinx,” she leaned forward, folding her arms on top of her knees. “You guys  _ really  _ gotta get better at communicating.” 

Jinx fidgeted, expecting this conversation but not necessarily prepared for it. “We do,” she said without conviction. “I mean like, we text and stuff in between work. I just didn’t wanna bring up the anniversary thing, in case she thought I was being...pushy.” 

“She’s your girlfriend,” Callie reminded her. “And besides that, she’s Marie. You don’t think she forgot, do you?” It was hypothetical, because they both knew what a stickler for details and dates the other Squid Sister was. 

So, the younger agent shook her head. “No, I-- I don’t think she forgot,” she insisted. “I’ve just been trying not to bother her with that too much. Things will calm down soon, and we’ll have more time to talk about important things, I just--” She shrugged, cutting herself off with another drink. She was going to run out of tea soon if she didn’t pace herself, and her tongue was already scalded.

All of the conversations they’d had over the last couple of months had been filler. Fluff. Casual words avoiding anything too deep. 

Jinx shrank back into the sofa. 

“I’m not going to tell you how to live your life,” Callie went on, her tone gentle like she might spook her friend. “All I can do is offer you advice, y’know? Advice from someone who knows Marie. Who knows  _ you _ .” 

Setting her mug aside at last so she wouldn’t be tempted to drain it, the younger inkling drew her knees up to match Callie’s stance. She pulled the cuffs of her hoodie - Marie’s hoodie - down over her hands and fiddled with the edges, staring determinedly at the fabric. There were no answers stitched between the ridges. There was no escaping the truth, that she was putting off the ‘I love you’ talk. Because if it wasn’t mutual, she didn’t know if she could handle that. 

“I’m in love with her,” she said quietly, pushing the first few words out before she could second guess. “I’m so, so incredibly in  _ love _ with her, Callie. Everything about her. She’s so cool and easy to be around, she grounds me when I feel like I’m losing it. She laughs with me and thinks it’s cute when I’m excited. She’s honest--” She could have gone on for hours, honestly. 

Warmth blossomed in Callie’s chest and her smile brightened as she listened. Truly, there was nothing comparable to hearing someone gush about the people they cared about, and especially when the person in question was her cousin. She nestled her chin between her kneecaps, eagerly awaiting more. 

Jinx stuttered a little, taking another deep breath. The more she talked, the more things manifested and took hold in her hearts. The fluttering, the sensation of her stomach doing backflips, the way the rest of her innards got all melty when she thought about her girlfriend. It was so  _ nice _ . Nice enough to quell the overwhelming dread of screwing everything up with her dumb, over-the-top emotions.

“When she tells me everything will be okay,” she spoke again, smiling at her fingertips and the familiar green of her absolute favorite hoodie. “I believe her. Unconditionally. No matter what’s going on, or how scared I am.”

Maybe she was just a sucker for love. Callie hummed softly, scooting a little bit closer so her toes could overlap with Jinx’s. Keeping her amber gaze locked onto her friend.

Jinx took one final breath, deep and steadying, and she spoke her next words with solid conviction. “When I’m with her, I’m home.”

She couldn’t deny how incredible it felt to say all of that. No matter how many times she had considered writing it down, that never came to pass lest Marie find it. But putting the words out into the open air pulled a weight off of her shoulders that she couldn’t explain. A giddy grin spread across her face and she wiggled her toes a bit, making Callie giggle. 

“Jinx… for someone who’s bad with words, that was fantastic,” the older inkling praised, reaching out to poke the tip of Jinx’s nose. “You don’t give yourself enough credit.” 

Jinx laughed, wrinkling her nose. “It’s just...so much easier to tell  _ you.  _ When I try to tell Marie, my tongue gets heavy and I can’t think straight,” she sighed. “It’s been a whole year, and it’s still like that. How do I even do this, Cal?” 

Before her friend could answer, there came a very soft squeaking noise, followed by the gentle click of a door latch sliding into place. Jinx, who had been sitting with her back to the door the entire time, stiffened at the sound, her eyes growing wide and all three of her hearts scrambling to make a break for either her stomach or her throat. 

“I think,” Marie’s voice chimed from the front of the apartment, where she had been standing for the past five minutes at least. “You just did.”

Were she a less composed individual, Jinx probably would have slipped bonelessly into her squid form and disappeared into a puddle of ink on the floor. She listened for the light footsteps moving onto the carpet, tipping her head up to see the bemused smirk on her girlfriend’s face. Her cheeks blazed - out of embarrassment or just the usual way Marie made her flustered she couldn’t be sure - and she cracked a nervous little smile.

“Hi,” she managed.

Marie leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Hi,” she replied, that smirk shifting into a tender smile that she hid against Jinx’s skin. 

“I, uh,” a thick swallow worked Jinx’s throat and she tried to collect herself. “I love you.” It sounded far less grand when she said it out loud, much less enthused than she felt about it - enforcing her preferred method for saying things like that. It was so much easier to convey through their heated kisses.

“So I’ve heard,” Marie said, standing up straight again and moving around the arm of the couch. “Scoot.” 

Jinx shifted a little so that the older girl could squeeze in behind her, leaning back into her instinctively and focusing as much as she could on the dizzying relief that came with speaking the truth. Instead of the gathering of nerves trying to remind her that, at least in words, she still hadn’t gotten a similar sentiment in response. 

But Marie draped an arm around her and tugged her close, smoothed back her tentacles, fussed over her a bit in the way that she did and they fell into a familiar routine. One of the many things Jinx loved about her. 

The three of them struck up conversation as easily as breathing after that. Jinx got more comfortable, settled halfway in Marie’s lap, safe and secure in her hoodie and in her arms. The Squid Sisters chatted endlessly, about anything and everything - they had a lot of catching up to do, after all. About singles, and acting, and the future of their careers.

Sometimes about worries, fears and concerns. Those discussions, though, were better left for when Jinx was away. 

Barely an hour passed before Callie’s phone ringing broke the comfortable conversation and she let out an exaggerated sigh, excusing herself and shifting off the couch. She disappeared into the kitchen to answer it and Marie and Jinx relaxed together, the latter holding Marie’s hand in her own and tracing patterns across the former’s knuckles with her fingertips. The call didn’t last long, though, and when Callie came back she wore an apologetic smile. 

“That was my director,” she tucked her phone into the pocket of her pink hoodie. “I’ve gotta get back to the set...he wants to go over a few rewrites with me.” 

Jinx made a face. “Duty calls,” she sighed. “Do you think you’ll be home late…?” 

A shrug. “I wish I could tell you. Don’t wait up though, okay?” She kissed the top of Jinx’s head as she passed, and planted another to Marie’s. “I love you guys, I’ll be home soon!”

She grabbed her keys and was out the door, and the pair were left snuggled up on the couch together in comfortable quiet.

Jinx could have easily fallen asleep like that. Every time they’d been together at length, it seemed like it was late at night, or they’d been apart for so long that their first thoughts were more carnal than cuddly. So this was nice. She pressed her fingertips gently into the curve of Marie’s palm, brushing her thumbs over soft skin and watching the way it shifted beneath her touch. 

Marie watched the ministrations with a warm fondness, using her free hand to tug her girlfriend’s beanie free. Tossing it to the side, she moved in to kiss the back of her head, only mildly wrinkling her nose. 

“When was the last time you took a bath?” She teased. 

Jinx tipped her head back to peer upside-down at the taller inkling. Still riding the high of finally telling Marie that dreaded ‘l’ word, and not being rejected for it. Nothing could ruin her day after that. 

“A couple of days ago,” she smiled. “You haven’t been home.” 

Those brown eyes were swimming with a kind of adoration that made Marie’s chest tighten. She couldn’t quite pin if it was reasonable or bordering on uncomfortable, and it nagged at her immediately. It was so intense, so  _ raw _ , completely unguarded. When she had first heard the confession from the doorway, it was sweet, certainly. And maybe, some part of her mind told her she should echo the sentiment back.

The fact, though, was that she couldn’t. Not because it wasn’t true - but that was just it. She wasn’t sure. And she couldn’t find it in herself to say words with such heft if she wasn’t one hundred percent behind them. Something so important shouldn’t be half-assed. 

“Jinx,” Marie began softly, breaking her rumination. She let the one hand remain captive, brushing her pinky across the crease in Jinx’s brow and wondering how to breach the topic. Better to just come right out and ask. “Have you ever been in a relationship before?” 

Brown eyes blinked at her, the emotion in them giving way to clarity as she pulled her mind into the conversation they were going to have. “No,” she said easily. “I had a couple crushes when I was in school, but they never went anywhere.” She tapped her thumbs in an unrecognizable rhythm against the back of Marie’s hand. 

“Besides,” she went on, tipping her head back into a more comfortable position and resting it against Marie’s shoulder. “I had too much other stuff to do. Taking care of my siblings, and when I came to Inkopolis I didn’t really have time for that kinda thing.” 

There was the slightest twinge of guilt in response to that. She loved their grandfather, but the New Squidbeak Splatoon was so important to him, it seemed like sometimes he forgot that he was recruiting teenagers. 

Jinx broke her train of thought before it could get rolling too quickly. “Why?”

Marie hummed, pressing her knuckles against her mouth. Her elbow rested on the arm of the couch behind her now, and she plucked words from the veritable sea of thoughts on this topic that floated around her brain. “You don’t really have a lot of experience with being in love, do you?” 

Whatever stray euphoria may have been left slipped away as the question settled in its place, and Jinx couldn’t quite put her finger on why it felt so strange. Like a sudden chill in her chest, and she became very aware of the beating of her hearts. 

She didn’t like it. She wanted her bliss back.

“I… I don’t. I mean. I don’t really see how multiple relationships would...matter?” She was back to where she started, tripping over her words in a scramble for the right answer Marie wanted. Without getting defensive. “I’d like to think I’m pretty in tune with my feelings.” 

“Hold on,” Marie was not ignorant of the fact that Jinx’s grip on her hand was tightening. “I’m not saying that.”

Jinx took a breath and steadied herself a bit before her thoughts could spiral. “Okay,” she was wary, and childishly she refused to move from her comfortable spot pressed against her girlfriend. “What are you saying?” 

This was exactly what she  _ didn’t  _ want, but Marie knew Jinx better than that. She just had to keep going, so she could get the truth out and not worry about the reaction. The agent would have her moment and calm down once she thought about it. She finally pried her hand free when the pressure got to be too much, shifting them as gently as she could because they  _ were going  _ to talk about this. 

“Love is a very, very strong word,” she said, tugging at Jinx’s shoulders and encouraging her to sit up. To turn and face her. 

Jinx moved begrudgingly, stiff and unsure. Lips pressed in a hard line, she focused on composing her face so she didn’t seem as distressed as she felt.

Marie saw right through it, but she could live with that. “It’s a strong  _ feeling _ .” 

“I know,” Jinx broke in, swallowing when her voice came out hoarse. She cleared her throat. “I know it is.” 

“What I’m saying is, I can’t say it back to you,” Marie kept her tone calm, factual. “Not because I don’t care about you. I do, immensely. You’re a big part of my life, and you wouldn’t be here if I didn’t enjoy it.”

As much as she tried not to let it happen, Jinx could feel her hearts sinking into her stomach. It had felt fantastic to spill her guts, but that was metaphorical - the thought that it was turning quite literal made her nauseous. “But you don’t love me…?” It wasn’t accusatory - not at all. Just confused. The last thing she wanted was to push Marie away by being too clingy.

“I don’t know.” To her credit, Marie remained unfazed by the meltdown that she knew was coming and told herself it would pass. They just had to get through the conversation first. “That’s just it. I don’t want to say it if I’m not one hundred percent positive it’s the truth. That wouldn’t be fair to either of us.”

Jinx let it sink in for a moment or two. She still sat there half-against Marie’s hip, twisted around to face her, one leg hanging off the side of the couch. Without the older girl’s hand to hold, she fiddled with her fingers instead. From a rational standpoint, it made sense. Of course it made sense. She told herself over and over again, her gaze fixed on her hands.

“No, that’s-- you’re right,” she agreed at last with a small nod, swallowing her feelings and telling herself to calm down. When the worst of the growing panic had ebbed, she looked up again. “Do you...do you still want to be together?” 

The idol didn’t miss a beat. “Yeah,” she said. “I do. I’m not gonna give you shit for having feelings, Jinx. I just don’t want to leave you in limbo, not knowing where I stand.” 

A pause. 

“Are you okay with that?” 

Jinx’s immediate instinct was to nod. To agree, whole-heartedly, partially out of relief. How could she not? If there was anything she ever wanted to stay constant in her life, it was Marie. “Yeah of course!” And she was. “I just - you know, I wanted to make sure it was… I was transparent. That’s. That’s what we do, right?” 

Marie studied her for a moment, amber eyes reading every inch of the girl she’d known so closely for the last year. She picked up the body language, the tensed shoulders, the mild anxious knitting of her brow, the smile that said she was trying hard to keep it together. How badly her posture contradicted her words. 

In the end, though, it was the words that mattered the most. 

“Alright,” she smiled a little. “Thank you for telling me. Do you feel better, getting that off your chest?” 

Jinx swallowed again. It came easier this time, and she felt some of the tension leave her back. “Mhm,” she agreed, nodding and smoothing one of her tentacles back over her shoulder. “I do. And thanks for being honest with me.” 

The smile grew, less cautious. That was exactly what Marie was after - she gave herself a mental pat on the back for knowing just what to expect. “Of course. Now,” reaching forward, she prodded a fingertip lightly into Jinx’s forehead. “Bath time for you, stinky.”


	20. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are going great!
> 
> Until they aren't.
> 
> Looks like it's the beginning of the end - truly, nothing lasts forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello naughty squidkids, it's update day!! 
> 
> I know it's a little close to the holidays, but I couldn't leave you hanging. I just want to take the time to really appreciate all the support on Love Language so far. I know it's been a long road, but y'all have stuck with me and encouraged me, and gotten me this far. I'll save the mushier stuff for the final chapter, though. 
> 
> ONWARD!

Two more weeks passed as peacefully as they ever did in Inkopolis. Chaotic schedules remained, and while Callie was excited to start filming, she was _ not _down with the growing inability to go home and relax for more than an hour or two. She came back late in the evening, exhausted, and generally passed out as soon as her face hit the pillow - or the couch. That was her bed more often than not.

When Marie suggested that they take a break and head home to Calamari County for a weekend, Callie was ecstatic and superjumped on that opportunity as fast as she could. She put her foot down and told her director the dates she would be gone, and that they’d have to shoot some scenes without her - and she was sorry, but this was not negotiable. He agreed with some reluctance and the weekend planning began. 

They were meant to hop the train in another two weeks, spend three wonderful days with their parents and each other, and just unwind. She loved the city but she was a country girl at heart, and there was nothing like a few months of everything being a hot mess to make her homesick. The time couldn’t go fast enough. 

Naturally, the morning she was getting ready to leave the set for an entire 72 hours (not that she was keeping track), the director had worked himself into a full-blown panic. He begged her to stay for a few more hours, just a few, so they could wrap up the most important scene before she was gone. 

Though Callie wanted nothing more than to blow him off and remind him she wasn’t dying, she was just going away for a couple of days, he begged with words like “We _ need _ you” and “no one else can do what you do” and she gave in. She ducked away to text Marie, taking a deep breath and telling herself that one more day wouldn’t be a big deal. She could handle that.

[callie]: hey, i’m rly sry, director man RLY needs me 2 stay 2day :(

[callie]: i’ll b there 1st thing 2morrow morning

[callie]: wait 4 me @ the station?

Marie didn’t disappoint. 

[marie]: It’s fine. I’ll pick you up in the morning.

[callie]: ur the best <3

[marie]: I know. <3

The day dragged on with all the enthusiasm of a tired sea cucumber, the final take ending in the late afternoon. It was all Callie could do to stop herself from running the instant she was dismissed. She got in a few goodbyes and ‘good job today’s before taking off, preparing to stop at home before trying to catch the last train to Calamari County. The sooner the better. She could sleep on the ride.

The Plaza would be busy this time of the day, and even with her shades on Callie wasn’t keen on the idea of being mobbed by excited fans. She wouldn’t have minded if she didn’t have somewhere to be. So, she slipped along through back alleys that she’d memorized in her early days as Agent 1, keeping away from the bustle.

It was a great idea, in theory.

She did not, however, account for the eerie feeling of eyes burning holes into her back. 

Callie took a deep breath as unease washed over her, trying to ignore it for a little bit. It wasn’t that far of a walk home, she could shake it! Except that she couldn’t. Within a few minutes she was throwing worried glances over her shoulder, turning completely when an abandoned old soda can clanked across the ground. No one was there to knock it over when she looked.

She was absolutely not paranoid. Someone was following her.

Keeping her guard up, she turned back to face forward.

What she had _ not _expected was the Octarian looming in front of her. 

\---

On a particularly chilly February morning, when Marie and Callie were out of town, Jinx decided to head down the sewer grate into Octo Valley. Whether nostalgia, restless energy, or a bad feeling in her gut, she slipped through the mesh with practiced ease and popped out on the other side to the familiar outpost. After the previous night’s snowfall, Cuttlefish Cabin and the surrounding grates were dusted in a thin layer of powder that sparkled in the early morning sunlight.

Briefly, she wondered if DJ Octavio was cold in his snowglobe. Though she wasn’t sure if she was prepared to face him or not, she stepped off of the main entrance and sucked in a deep breath to steel herself. 

“Hey Octo-breath!” She put on her best confident grin. “Sorry I didn’t come wish you a Happy Squidmas, how’s the water down--”

When Jinx’s gaze landed on the snowglobe, her entire body froze up. The shiver that wracked through her had nothing to do with the chilly air. 

Shards of shattered glass poked up out of a sheen of ice, littered all around the base of the once-pristine makeshift prison. The sun reflected off of each one and they glittered at her maliciously - it took her a few moments to process just what it meant. Time slowed to a crawl. Hundreds of scenarios and terrible outcomes berated her thoughts at once.

_ Octavio’s free. Inkopolis isn’t safe. Where’s Cap’n Cuttlefish? Where is Octavio?! Oh cod this is all my fault, I should have come down here sooner, I shouldn’t have been such a baby about it, if I had just run consistent recon this wouldn’t have happened-- _

Jinx pressed a palm to the side of her head, squeezing her eyes shut tightly and breaking her physical stasis to stomp her foot down. Hard. 

“_ Fuck! _” The curse echoed through the valley, chasing after her as she raced back down the grate. Through the thick haze of panic settling in and the chills clenching around her stomach, she knew only one thing for certain.

She had to tell Callie and Marie.

When she resurfaced in Inkopolis again, Jinx barely managed to get out of her squid form before she took off running for home. She fished around desperately in her pocket for her phone, struggling to tug it free - her hero boots skidded on the wet pavement as she rounded a corner and nearly dropped the thing.

A shaky thumb tapped on Callie’s name and she pressed it to her ear. Her hearts raced erratically like they were trying to beat her to the apartment. 

One ring.

Two.

Three.

“Come on, Callie,” Jinx pleaded breathlessly, weaving around a pair of inklings out for a morning stroll. “Pick up…”

But the fourth ring came and went, and Callie’s cheerful voice came out of the earpiece - nothing more than a pre-recorded message. Cod, the _ one time _ for her to be busy--

“Cal, it’s Jinx - we’ve got an emergency,” she tried to keep her voice down despite the heaving in her lungs. The frigid air was starting to make her chest burn. “Octo Valley. Octavio’s snowglobe is busted, he’s gone, just-- just call me when you can.”

Frustrated with the lack of response, she shoved her phone back into her jacket pocket and took the stairs two at a time to get up to the apartment door. Checking every single pocket for her keys, Jinx finally found them and managed to finagle one into the lock.

The knob turned without resistance. Was Marie home…? But she was supposed to be in Calamari County until Monday? Jinx shook the thought free, if only because that worked out in her favor. With renewed hope, she shoved the door open and didn’t even bother to take off her boots on her way in.

“Marie?” The inkling called through the apartment, closing the door behind her. Her chest felt like someone had set her on fire from the inside and her hearts took turns pounding relentlessly against her insides, legs trembling as the initial adrenaline started to ebb. She hadn’t pushed her body that hard in months. 

No response came. Marie wasn’t in the living room, and she couldn’t see her in the kitchen. 

Taking a few steps forward, Jinx tried again. Panic still buzzed in her brain. “Marie, are you home?” 

Nothing but silence, uncomfortable and daunting.

Had she made a mistake? Did she just forget to lock the door when she left…? She pushed a palm against her forehead, taking as deep a breath as she could of the warm apartment air and hacking slightly when it caught in her throat. What was she supposed to do? The Squid Sisters were the only ones who could help with this catastrophe, and if they weren’t around…

She pulled her phone out again, tapping on Marie’s name.

It only took a moment for her to hear the faint sound of her girlfriend’s ringtone, coming from inside the apartment. She hung up immediately and trained on the noise. 

Thankfully it wasn’t a big place. She found her girlfriend in Callie’s room, seated on the edge of the bed and facing away from her. The phone rested in her hand and there was absolutely no response when she knocked on the door frame.

Jinx didn’t even know where to begin.

“Octavio’s missing,” she blurted out after a moment of awkward silence. She couldn’t see Marie’s face and it made her nervous, not being able to read the older girl’s expression. The sense of dread that plagued her only grew heavier.

The idol took a deep, slow breath through her nose, a heavy sigh escaping that spoke of exhaustion and frustration. Still facing away, her gaze fixed on the packed suitcase resting beside her on the bed, she responded.

“So is Callie.”

It didn’t take a genius to put the pieces together, no matter how badly she didn’t want to. Jinx swallowed hard, a wave of dizziness washing over her and she fell back against the door frame to hold herself steady. The controlled, quiet way Marie spoke those words - the early return from Calamari County. It all amounted to one horrible, undeniable truth.

Callie was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My beta reader almost murdered me for this.


	21. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marie doesn't handle her emotions well. Jinx isn't much better. But a plan is set in motion and Agent 3 is needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'know, the more update days we have, the closer we get to the end, the more intense things get...
> 
> I hope you guys don't hate me for what I'm about to do to this whole story. :3
> 
> Enjoy!

Cap’n Cuttlefish contacted her almost immediately when he found out. Of course, ‘immediately’ for him meant that it had taken Marie at least three days to tell him - three days which passed brimming with agonizing tension, thick and unyielding between the two left behind in the apartment. Three long, impossible days without only one or two words spoken from Jinx to Marie. If the latter did respond, it was barely with words at all. Just soft sounds of affirmation or a short, rigid head shake. 

Jinx hated it. She  _ despised  _ it. They had finally started to get through to each other, finally begun opening up the channels of communication, and then this. For one horrible, selfish moment, she caught herself blaming Callie for not just telling her director to go talk a long walk off a short pier. For not going with Marie that morning, for staying behind on her own. 

But it wasn’t Callie’s fault, and Jinx berated herself for even entertaining the thought.

She ducked out of the apartment when her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she saw the unlisted number pop up. It had to be the Captain - he was so paranoid about phones. Slipping into the hallway and easing the door closed behind her, Jinx answered.

“Marie called you?”

Cuttlefish’s gruff voice responded with a clearing of his throat. “Agent 2 contacted me, yes,” he said. “If Agent 1 is missing and Octavio is free, that can only mean one thing. I’m gonna need you back in the field, Agent 3.”

Under any other circumstances, she would have turned him down. She was so tired of fighting, she was trying to get her life together, but the stakes were too high for her to ignore. He  _ was  _ her commanding officer, after all. 

“Okay,” she said, keeping her voice down as she leaned against the wall. Brown eyes flickered towards the door, double checking that it was closed properly - not that she thought Marie would be listening in, anyway. The older girl had plenty of other things to worry about. “Just tell me what I need to do.”

“On our own, we can get to ‘n from Octo Valley lickety split,” Cuttlefish started in and Jinx immediately started taking mental notes. “But that ain’t deep enough. It’s barely below the surface, and we need to go further. I want ya to talk to that shady fellow, the one that skulks around in the back alley.” 

“Spyke?” Her brow furrowed, but she supposed it made sense. “Yeah, I can hit him up. I’ll head over there this afternoon and see what he can do.” She definitely had some sea snails, and she’d be able to scrounge up some extra cash to pay him off. She never had a problem with the urchin, anyway.

“Let me know what he says,” the Captain paused. “We’ll need to act swiftly, Agent 3. The sooner the better.” 

A stubborn weight settled onto her chest at that. How much time did they  _ have _ , exactly? She wanted to get moving as soon as possible, to rescue Callie from whatever horrible fate Octavio had in store for her - even now she was antsy to go - but with the state Marie was in… 

“What about Ma--” Ugh. “Agent 2?”

The old man snapped back so quickly it made her jump. “Agent 2 is not to get involved! We can’t risk putting her in danger too, not with Agent 1 compromised.”

That complicated things. How was she supposed to keep  _ anything  _ from Marie? Especially now, when all she wanted was to stay close to her. To comfort her, to hand over anything she could possibly give that might help.

“Is that clear, Agent 3?”

Jinx reached up and rubbed at her temple, fending off the budding headache. “Yes, Sir,” she mumbled. “I’ll tap Spyke and let you know as soon as I have an answer.” 

“That’ll do,” Cuttlefish said. “Over and out, Agent 3.”

The line cut out before she could say ‘goodbye.’ 

She stood in that hallway as the minutes dragged on, back pressed up against the wall just beside the front door to her apartment -  _ their  _ apartment - Callie and Marie’s apartment. Her fingers still curled tightly around her phone, Jinx processed exactly what was going to have to happen over the next few days. It would have been fine, if she could talk to Marie about it. They could hash it out together, come up with a game plan, and in an ideal outcome it would lift her girlfriend’s spirits. 

That option was completely yanked off the table by a cranky old loon running a secret army against an enemy that she found herself more and more reluctant to fight back against. (Except Octavio. Octavio could eat dirt - she’d shove her hero shot so far down his throat, his tentacles would be purple for the rest of his miserable life.)

She would talk to Spyke. She’d tell him she wanted to go in quietly, go the back routes, avoid conflict anywhere and everywhere she could. This mission wasn’t a matter of splatting every bit of opposition she came across, it was to save her best friend. She would be damned if she completely disregarded the nightmares that still woke her up now and then. The fewer octarians got in her path, the better.

Jinx took a slow, deep breath. The next snag to work out was the part where she told Marie she was leaving for a little bit. Except no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t fathom it. 

The phone buzzed in her hand, jolting her out of her thoughts. She lifted it wearily to check the screen. 

[marie]: did you go out?

How long had she been standing out there in the hall? 

[jinx] no i’m here! just had to take a call, dad about kids

[marie] ok. putting on a movie if you want.

Tucking the problem away for the time being, Jinx jumped at the chance to be there if Marie needed her. She pocketed her phone and headed back inside. 

Guarded amber eyes rose to regard her and Jinx smiled encouragingly at the older inkling. Marie shifted over a bit on the couch to make room for her as she settled down, hesitant to get too close. Her partner’s mood in the last few days had oscillated from hot to cold at such random intervals; she was losing track of when it was okay to do things like hold her hand or rest against her. 

Not that Jinx blamed her. She understood. While she missed Callie too, it couldn’t compare to what the other half of the dynamic duo must have been feeling. 

Jinx ached to tell her that she was going to find Callie, whatever it took. She wanted to say it was all going to be alright, that she just had to go away for a little bit to make it happen. “What are we watching?” She asked instead, sitting on her hands instead of reaching for Marie’s. 

Though she spoke like nothing was eating away at her, there was no hiding just how far away Marie’s mind was. “Not sure,” she said. “It was on this channel. So far all I’ve got is big scaly monsters.” Her posture definitely suggested that she didn’t want to be touched - one arm folded across her chest, other hand lifted to her mouth with her thumb pressed against her lips. 

The younger girl nodded like she understood, gathering that it was more of a desire for company than anything else. That was fine, she could do that. She could - she  _ would  _ do whatever Marie needed her to. So they sat in a quiet that was only mildly uncomfortable, save for the sounds from the movie. Lots of screaming and roaring.

Jinx wasn’t paying much attention to it. No, she was far too busy trying to reason out how she could sneak out that afternoon. Too busy mulling over what excuses she could give for her absence, no matter how brief it would be. The visit to Spyke wouldn’t be too difficult to mask - if she just went straight to him, she could count on the fact that he got right to the point. It was the next step that worried her. 

What could she tell Marie to excuse herself for an indefinite amount of time? Did words for that even exist? Especially now, when she was practically on call for her girlfriend when she was needed. There had to be a safe way to ease into it, without omitting the whole truth. The last thing Jinx wanted was to lie to Marie. It made her stomach churn just considering it.

She didn’t realize she’d been bouncing her knee until Marie suddenly clapped a hand down onto it, fingertips pressing just a bit too hard into the sides of her leg. The movement was so sharp it made her jump, but when she looked up her girlfriend hadn’t taken her eyes away from the TV screen. 

“...Sorry.” 

Marie didn’t ease up. “It’s fine,” she lied. Another beat passed before she seemed satisfied that Jinx was done fidgeting, releasing her grip and returning to her previous position. 

The younger girl swallowed. Hard. A week ago, they would have talked about the anxious habit. Her hearts sank when she thought about it - just a week. That was how quickly things had gone from ‘almost perfect’ to ‘rock bottom.’ Marie had closed herself off completely, refusing to talk about the situation - or much of anything for that matter. Whatever she was feeling, she masked it far too well for Jinx to see. 

“Soooo…” Jinx leaned forward a bit, setting her feet flat on the floor. It took another second for her to decide her next words. “I was thinkin’ about going to Reefcakes. Maybe get some of the strawberry creme things you like?” There, a light suggestion. Something she could do at the same time. 

“You don’t like those,” Marie pointed out. 

“I’ll get something else,” Jinx shrugged. 

Marie’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. If she hadn’t been paying such close attention, Jinx would have missed it. 

“You’re going by yourself?” 

For half a second, the question surprised her. All this time, no one who knew her questioned her independence like that. Of course she could go to the store down the street and come back alone, she was a grown inkling, but she didn’t say that. The realization dawned on her that Callie had been alone, too. Maybe it wasn’t the reason Marie was asking, but off the top of her head Jinx couldn’t imagine anything else. 

“No,” she fibbed. “I’m meeting up with Ame.” 

Yep, it definitely felt just as horrible as she was afraid it would. 

All of this, and Marie  _ still  _ wouldn’t look at her. A muscle jumped in the older girl’s jaw as she clenched her teeth and relaxed again, instead beginning to nibble at her thumbnail. It was the first time Jinx had ever seen nervous habits out of her partner. 

“Don’t be gone long,” she said at last. 

Beneath it, Jinx imagined she could hear ‘ _ Don’t go anywhere by yourself. _ ’

They sat there for another handful of frustratingly quiet minutes. Jinx absurdly hoped Marie would call her out, would ask to go with her,  _ anything _ \- but at the same time, she was bound and determined to get things moving as fast as possible. To not be stopped. To get out there and find her best friend, so that Marie would smile again.

Carefully, she leaned in to press a featherlight kiss against Marie’s cheek. 

“I’ll be home soon,” she promised, hopping up off the couch like she’d been poised to do since the second she sat down. 

For just a flash, she could have sworn she caught Marie turning to stare after her. Opening her mouth to say something, but thinking better of it. But the guilt of the idea was too much for her to take in right now, so she told herself she was imagining it.

\---

Finding Spyke wasn’t hard if you knew where to look. Jinx wasn’t known for shady activity by any means, but she knew her way to the alley where he usually hung around - her favorite crown punks had to come from somewhere, and Sean sure wasn’t delivering. At any rate, when she slipped down the narrow path, the urchin in question sat huddled in the corner with his stash of super sea snails. 

He lounged on his thick blanket, draped in a few more and looking fairly toasty for how cold it was outside. When he picked up the sound of her shoes crunching across the snow, he lifted his single-eyed gaze to the source and greeted her with a small nod. 

Jinx adjusted the straps of the backpack on her shoulders, weighing heavy with a few sea snails and some cash she had been saving up. “Hey Spyke,” she said, moving to stand in front of him. “Keeping warm down here?”

“As best I can, luv,” he chuckled, a deep sound that reverberated against the pavement. “Haven’t got an order for you if that’s what you’re after.” 

The inkling shook her head. “Not this time. I need a different kind of favor.” She curled her fingers around the straps of her bag to calm her nerves. “I need to get underground.”

It took a lot to rattle Spyke, but even he looked a bit surprised at the request. He studied her carefully, long fingers pulling the edge of his blanket tighter around his shoulders. “...You sure ‘bout that? It’s a one-way trip.” 

She nodded. “I’m sure.” She cast a quick glance over her shoulder to be sure no one was peeking. “How soon can you make it happen?” 

The corner of the urchin’s mouth tipped into a smirk. “Never one to mince words, were you?” He sighed, breath crystallizing in wispy clouds. “Alright. Give me a week, I’ll call in a few favors.” 

Jinx grimaced. She couldn’t wait a week - she didn’t trust herself not to cave and blab to Marie about it if she had to sit around that long.  _ Callie  _ couldn’t wait a week. They had to move now. 

“That’s too long. Can you do it sooner?” Where this sudden surge of boldness came from, she wasn’t sure, but she was going to ride that wave until it crashed. 

“Hmm,” Spyke leaned back, tapping a knuckle against his chin. “I dunno...that’s an awfully tall order, mate. Lots’a calls to make, lots’a strings to pull. You understand.”

Jinx slid the backpack off of her shoulders, setting it down gently and tugging the zipper free. Wordlessly, she pulled out one sea snail - apologizing to it in her head as it blinked at her - and the pouch of coins. She tossed the hefty satchel toward him first, without hesitation. Anyone who did dealings with Spyke was well aware of how he operated.

A bit of palm greasing didn’t hurt.

The urchin caught the pouch as though he was expecting it, a pleased glint in his eye as he lifted the flap and peered inside. 

“There’s thirty super sea snails on top of that, if you can do it in three days.” The backpack wiggled as if on cue, testament to the shelled currency living within. 

That single eye came back to her and she watched the thought process scroll through Spyke’s mind, confident that she’d given him enough incentive to help out. He may have been a bit shady, but he wasn’t a bad guy, and they were amicable enough. 

After a few moments of silence, the lanky creature shrugged beneath the blankets and closed the coin pouch back up, tucking it away for safe-keeping. “You drive a right hard bargain,” he gave her a half-smile. “Three days it is, then. Come back and see me after that.” 

Satisfied, Jinx grinned hauled the bag back onto her shoulders. She stepped closer to hand him the snail she was still holding onto. “One for your trouble,” she said. “Thanks, Spyke. You’re the freshest urchin I know.”

That low chuckle rolled out of Spyke’s throat again and he accepted the gift, waving her off with his other hand. “Keep that to yourself, luv. I’ve got a reputation.”

The inkling took off with a wave, at least one less thing on her mind. If she had her ticket to the world beneath the surface, she could handle the rest from there. All that was left was a stop at Reefcakes, and then back home before Marie got suspicious.

If she would.

Jinx shook her head free of the thought. Reefcakes. Sweets made everything better. It wasn’t a permanent solution, but hopefully it would cheer Marie up a little. 


	22. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The realization sets in the Callie may have just been the glue holding them together.
> 
> All the more reason to find her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helloooo. Sorry for the two week wait between chapters! This one is the second to last, so the next one will be out in another two weeks. 
> 
> Thanks for sticking with it for so long. <3

It wasn’t that Marie was moping. Not by any means. She didn’t ‘mope’ - she didn’t have time for wallowing in negative emotions. There was always a rational way to work through them, and sitting around feeling sorry for herself was never an option. 

No, she spent the vast majority of three days  _ thinking _ . In some ways that may have been even worse, but there was so much to mull over. She had to figure out a way to put her career on hold, just until she could put things in motion to find her cousin. Next was figuring out what she could do to start tracking down the miserable octo scum who most definitely kidnapped Callie - because there was no way she would just disappear without any warning, not on her own. 

Even more, what she would do to him once she found him. 

Marie wouldn’t consider herself a violent person. One well-aimed charger shot between the eyes would do the job nicely, and she would enjoy every second - from lining him up in her sights, to pulling the trigger and watching the ink fly.

However, her first priority was Callie. 

Cod, she hoped Callie was okay. Ever since the final splatfest, she’d felt like they were drifting. The holidays had been wonderful and when they did have a chance to spend time together, it was as though nothing had changed - but as her music kicked off and Callie’s acting career started to come together, it became harder and harder to pretend the space between them wasn’t growing with each passing day. 

The worst part was, beneath it all, Marie worried that she might be to blame for it. 

Because if she was, then that meant she could have prevented it, if only she’d seen it sooner. If only she hadn’t been  _ distracted _ . 

She thought of warm brown eyes, of dark skin and brightly colored tentacles. Of vulnerable smiles and unrestrained affection, of an unguarded heart - and she knew she couldn’t blame Jinx, either. It wasn’t her fault, and holding her accountable wouldn’t bring Callie back. Marie massaged a few fingers against her clavicle absently, willing away the dull ache of guilt that she’d even entertained the idea.

She supposed she should probably text her girlfriend to make sure everything was alright. How long had Jinx been gone? She’d been losing track of time in all of her musings - just another way this entire situation was breaking her down. Just as she went to reach for her phone, the front door opened and an out of breath inkling pushed her way inside. 

“Sorry that took so long!” Jinx smiled in that way she did and Marie let herself take comfort from it, even if it only eased the ache marginally. “Reefcakes was  _ swamped _ . Valentine’s Day is coming up I guess.” Kicking off her boots, she carefully set the pastry box in her hands onto the coffee table and slid the backpack off her shoulders. 

Routine. This was all routine, and the familiarity made things almost seem normal for a moment.

“Welcome home,” Marie said, dragging herself out of the mire in her head to try and focus on the here and now. She took a deep breath, patting the couch beside her. 

For a split second, Jinx looked...surprised. It cleared before Marie could be sure, though, and her girlfriend easily dropped down into the indicated spot. “I got a couple of the strawberry ones, and they had this matcha one that sounded really good, so I snagged two of those too - you like matcha, right? Jelliot said they were a new thing, and really good--”

She rambled energetically about her find and Marie paid attention. Had her partner been this vibrant all morning? It was all kind of a haze. 

“They’re cute,” the older inkling observed when Jinx flipped the pastry box open. The strawberry treats were familiar - petit rounds of a light, spongy cake with rich strawberry creme between the two layers and swirled on top. Wedges of fresh strawberry were pressed artfully into the thick swirls. 

The matcha cakes were a similar composition, but had been skillfully shaped and decorated to look like leaves - the creme a pale shade of green, with a darker green powder dusted over the top. They looked...really good, actually.

“--There’s also some, uh. I grabbed a couple chocolate eclairs, just one cannoli since they’re kinda pricey but you can have it if you want it--”

“ _ Jinx _ ,” Marie could have laughed if she felt more up to it. Sometimes her girlfriend was just...too much. Not sure if it was guilt or the sudden realization of her need for physical contact driving her, she reached over and tugged on Jinx’s sleeve until she could pull the girl over to her. 

Jinx tensed when Marie pulled her close, unsure if she should move or engage in any way - which was such a stupid way to be, in retrospect. Her girlfriend wrapped arms around her and rested her chin on top of Jinx’s head, exhaling softly and closing her eyes. Slowly, carefully, the younger girl slipped her arms behind Marie’s back and squeezed in tandem. 

“...you okay?” She asked softly, wary of the response - ear pressed to her partner’s shoulder, where the gentle thrum of her pulse fluttered. 

Marie hummed, her only response at first, leaning back and taking Jinx with her until her back hit the arm of the couch. The honest answer was ‘no,’ but she didn’t say that. She didn’t want to  _ talk  _ about that. With the lightest touch, her fingertips slid along the length of Jinx’s back, her gaze distant. 

Jinx only shifted marginally, getting herself into a more comfortable position and doing her best not to hinder her partner’s ministrations. It felt so wrong, to tread on eggshells like this around Marie. It was exactly how the last few days had gone - one second she was cold and quiet, barely wanting anything to do with Jinx, and the next all she wanted was to be close. 

The younger girl couldn’t even imagine what kind of grief Marie must be feeling, to fluctuate so quickly and so often. She pressed a kiss against her girlfriend’s shoulder, lingering and meaningful.  _ I’m here. As long as you need me, I’m here.  _

They didn’t speak for a while. The pastry box still lay open on the table, hovering in the back of Jinx’s mind as an afterthought, and she rested there listening to the steady rhythm of a heartbeat. Feeling the gentle rise and fall of Marie’s chest with each breath. This was what she was protecting, what she needed to save - moments like this that reminded her how much she loved her partner. 

Why she needed to go underground without an explanation.

She shoved that aggressively aside in her head. It wasn’t for a few more days anyway, and she could savor this while she still had it. While she couldn’t shake the gut feeling that leaving was a mistake, it was something she needed to move past - there were few things about being Agent 3 these days that didn’t cause her some form of distress.

“Hey,” Marie broke the silence, her voice drawing Jinx back from her train of thought. “Your phone’s buzzin’.” 

Oh, so it was. When she focused, she could hear it against the coffee table, vibrating its way casually toward the edge. She was fully prepared to let it go to voicemail, too busy enjoying being with Marie to want to move - until panic slapped her in the face because chances were good it was Cap’n Cuttlefish wanting a status update. And Marie couldn’t know that. 

Grunting in frustration, Jinx reluctantly nudged herself out of Marie’s arms and rolled off of the couch to grab her phone. Sure enough, the unlisted number glared at her from the screen - she silenced it, hoping the old man would get the hint that she couldn’t talk right now. 

“Telemarketer,” she said quickly, rolling her eyes and pocketing the device. Before she could let the nerves show on her face, she jerked her thumb toward the kitchen. “I’m gonna go put on some hot water for tea, does that sound okay?” 

Marie didn’t even try to not look disappointed - she was too tired. Sitting up, she rested a hand on her knee. “Sure.” Childishly though, she wanted to call Jinx back to the couch. It was rare for her to crave physical contact like that, so she shrugged it off and reached for the pastry box instead. 

Cake was a good substitute for the comfort of another person, after all. 

As soon as she had the kettle on the stove, Jinx stole a glance over her shoulder toward the living room. Asking herself, did she have time to sneak out and contact the captain? If she was quiet enough, she could probably slip out the window onto the fire escape. She was good at keeping her voice down when she had to, Marie didn’t even need to know. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably while she plotted. 

_ Listen to yourself. You’re treating this like an undercover mission already. _

Wasn’t it, though? A secret assignment - one that she only had to hide from one person. The one person she wanted to talk to about it. She had barely been back for half an hour, and already she was getting skittish. Could she really keep this up for three whole days? 

Jinx shook her head, trying to clear the growing buzz of doubt and worry. Tea. She had to focus on tea, and cakes, and spending the afternoon with Marie. The girl she loved. The one she’d do anything for, go to the ends of the earth - or, in this case, the depths - to satisfy. Anything, anything to make her happy.

She was so busy panicking that Marie was able to sneak up on her. Familiar arms wound around her from behind and she nearly jumped out of her skin, halted only by the kiss pressed against the back of her neck. 

Marie held tight, burying her face into her girlfriend’s shoulder and breathing slowly. Deeply. It wasn’t like it was rare for her to show this kind of affection, but considering how things had been going, calling it unexpected would have been an understatement. They stood like that for a minute or two - Jinx with her phone in one hand, resting her other palm gently against Marie’s arm, guilt weighing like stones in her stomach. 

“Are you okay?” She asked softly, when she started to lose track of how long they were there. Seconds blurred when they were together, one leaking into the next faster than they had any right to - a cruel illusion of limited existences. 

The older inkling didn’t answer, same as before - simply tugged Jinx closer, making sure her shoulders pressed seamlessly to Marie’s chest. Protective. Wanting. Taking the comfort she craved selfishly and allowing herself not to care. 

That was the second time she refused to answer. Jinx wasn’t an idiot - she knew avoidance when she saw it. Hell, she was a master at it. A deep breath flooded her lungs, her thumb brushing comfortingly over the arm locked around her. 

Inhale. Exhale. 

A soft, warning whine began leaking out of the kettle.

“Marie…” Jinx prodded her, again. 

“Stop asking me that.” The words were muffled in the fabric of her hoodie, but Marie’s voice was firm and accompanied by another small squeeze. “You know the answer.” 

She did. She just wished Marie would say it out loud. Maybe it would help ease some of the pressure that  _ must  _ have been building inside of her, ready to burst like steam from a teapot that’s been left on a hot burner too long. She knew that feeling all too well, felt it twisting inside of her right then as a matter of fact, but it wasn’t like she was the poster child for acting to fix it. 

“I, um,” Jinx cleared her throat, hoping she didn’t sound too dismissive. “I should probably grab that kettle--”

She tensed at the familiar, distinctive feeling of Marie nuzzling into the side of her neck. There was nothing innocent about it - she only did that when she felt playful. Of all the times to want to play those kinds of games, though, why did she have to choose  _ now _ ? 

“Leave it,” Marie purred against her ear. “There’s better things we could be doing.” 

That rich tone dragged a shiver through Jinx’s body, from her head down to her toes. Cod, it made her so weak and she  _ craved  _ it after the week they’d had so far. She yearned to take it as a sign that things were looking up. 

But she knew better, and she knew she couldn’t take the offer. No matter how badly she ached to give in. Marie’s lips pressed to the small patch of skin above the back of her shirt, goosebumps erupting across every inch of her, another kiss just behind her ear that pulled a soft sound from her throat-- 

The kettle was shrieking like every fiber inside of the younger inkling and, with all the willpower she could muster, she twisted out of Marie’s arms - avoiding her girlfriend’s eyes at all costs. Tension bloomed swiftly and she pushed herself through the thick cloud of it toward the stove, quickly turning off the stovetop and almost burning herself on the pot when she moved it. 

She could feel Marie’s eyes on her back. If she turned around, that would be the end of it - she’d break down, she’d cave, she  _ couldn’t. _

“I--I’m gonna. Just leave this here, okay?” It wasn’t okay, it wasn’t okay, she had to rip the band-aid off and get out of there as quickly as she could. “I got a text from Ame. I have to go call him.”

The silence could have lasted for a few minutes or a few hours, but Jinx’s growing panic drowned out any sense of time. Where the warmth of her partner’s embrace had been before, now she was nearly shivering with the chill left in her absence. She tried to stand straight, to not show the anxiety that bloomed in her chest like a piranha plant ready to eat her alive. 

“I thought you just saw him,” Marie’s tone had shifted directly into icy, cold enough to set Jinx on edge again. 

Just a few hours ago, she had been wrestling with herself on how she was going to tell one tiny lie to the older inkling. Now, they wouldn’t stop falling from her tongue, like a poison she could only cure by throwing it up. “I did,” she lied. 

“I guess he got a call from Dad,” another lie. “He’s...he wants me to call. I just need to go outside and--”

The cut-off came out hard and short. “If you’re going to lie to me, at least pretend to be good at it.”

The tension bled out of the room with her as Marie walked away, the distant sound of her bedroom door closing behind her like a punch to the gut. Jinx staggered back with the invisible force of it, back hitting the island countertop and keeping her from completely losing her balance. 

She pressed a shaky hand against her face, trying to stabilize her breathing. She had to calm down, had to be cool, had to keep it together. Focus on her priorities. Call the captain, give him the message from Spyke. Breathe. 

Chest clenched so tightly it hurt, the inkling finally willed herself to move into action, despite the weight of her guilt and lies trying to root her to the spot. She moved. Kitchen, to living room, feet into boots, front door. Frustrated and nauseous and trying not to think about the damage she was causing.

Hopefully when this was all over, it would be worth it - and she could try to make something out of the wreckage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything's fiiiiine.


	23. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tide goes out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What can be said about this?
> 
> I have no words. I really don't. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart - thank you for sticking this out. Thank you for reading, for commenting, for the kudos and the support! I couldn't have done this without you guys. 
> 
> I'm dedicating this to you. Yes, you. 
> 
> Also, implied sexual situations ahead.

Going back into that apartment after the scalding barb Marie had left behind was one of the hardest things Jinx had ever done. Every motion that should have been easy and familiar slowed with the weight on her shoulders, on her mind - but she’d already delayed the inevitable for as long as she could feasibly fake it. Everything was in place. 

The plan was set in motion. In three days, she would pack up and disappear into the world beneath the surface of Inkopolis, deeper than she had ever gone before - she would leave behind everything she knew in favor of more important endeavors. For Callie. Ultimately, for Marie. She couldn’t afford to doubt herself now, not when there was so much at stake and she was already dousing the bridge between her and her girlfriend in gasoline.

The inkling’s eyes burned and she rubbed the heel of her palm furiously against them, trying to force some kind of composure back onto her face. She must have stood outside of that door for an hour before she finally worked up the nerve to open it.

It seemed anti-climactic at first. There was no movement in the living room, no sound from the TV - no sound, in fact, from the whole apartment. Where there should have been relief, though, she couldn’t help but be disappointed. At least if Marie were there, she would have had time to cool down in the three hours Jinx had been gone, right? And they could sit down and talk things through like the civil women they were.

Jinx felt her chest tighten until it ached, the door closing behind her as she kicked her shoes off haphazardly. She had definitely been prepared for this to turn into a fiasco, hadn’t she? So why was it all more overwhelming than she expected? 

The inkling strained her ears to listen for anything - a breath, a shuffle, a cabinet door. Any sign of life that could prove she wasn’t alone. Minutes passed of nothing and the anticipation only worsened the nausea forming in the pit of her stomach, so she finally opted to distract herself. 

It occurred to her that she should pack.

The weight of that settled like a stone on her chest, adding to everything else dragging her down and Jinx had never felt duty so heavily before. Nerves and words she wasn’t allowed to say out loud choked her when she tried to swallow, dragging her feet across the room toward the bedroom door - left open just a little. Marie always closed it when she was home. 

It was all so methodical and she went through the motions functioning on auto-pilot. She grabbed her backpack from the closet, and the duffel bag where she’d relocated Spyke’s sea snails. In went a few changes of clothes, her phone charger, and some soap (though when and if she’d actually use it, she didn’t know for sure). The essentials that she usually took, back in the day where she might spend more than a few days in Octo Valley at a time. 

Zipping it all up, the distraught inkling carted the bag out to drop it next to her shoes. She formulated a half-assed excuse about staying with her brother for a couple of days, even though she knew Marie wouldn’t believe her. She’d already destroyed that kind of trust, how much more damage could she possibly do? It almost made the trip underground seem like the best thing she could do for their relationship at this point.

Cod, she was being dramatic. Suck it up, Jinx. There’s no crying in Splatoon.

She moped around the place for a bit, contemplating if she should actually stick around. Marie was out. Waiting for her to come back would be nerve-wracking, and the chance that they would argue when their paths crossed again was too high for her to dismiss. Still, if she left without warning—

...she was already leaving without warning. Marie was going to absolutely hate her by the end of all this.

Completely and totally Over It, Jinx moved without thinking and found herself in Callie’s bedroom. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, grabbing a pillow, and burying her face into it. Everything inside of her felt too big, her skin too tight, like every organ was ready to burst out and leave her a puddle of useless goo on the floor. It was the most awful, unpleasant thing she had ever felt in her life. 

Drawing in as deep a breath as she could and catching the lingering smell of her best friend’s perfume, she shook her head against the hollow ache and focused on the comfort.

“Callie, what do I do...?” 

But pillows and empty rooms were never much for conversation, and her plea was met with nothing but silence.

——

One of the downsides to being a big-time celebrity was always, in Marie’s opinion, the inability to walk down the street without being accosted by whomever happened to be around. She would never want to look a gift seahorse in the mouth or anything like that, but honestly, it was hard to think things through and be rational with the constant looming concern of ‘stay as inconspicuous as possible.’ 

Cod, though, she needed to walk. So desperately that she donned her usual disguise and dipped down to Octo Valley, away from the noise of the plaza, to that almost hauntingly quiet old outpost. 

No one was there. Of course no one was there - the shattered snowglobe mocked her as she strode past it, following familiar old pathways toward the ink rail at the edge of the platform . She didn't take it -- she had no desire to venture any further. She just wanted a place to sit and contemplate, with just herself and the quiet rumblings of the valley below for company.  Marie settled down on the edge, folding her legs neatly beside her and staring out over the domes so far below.

She was so… angry. Angry, stressed, stretched far too thin and there was nothing she hated more than being so vulnerable. She had always been the calm one, the level-headed one, all of her life - but now it began to dawn on her that Callie may have been the one keeping her grounded in the first place. Someone she could soundboard with, who would listen to her on the rare occasion that she couldn’t work things out on her own. 

Callie’s advice was invaluable and Marie needed it, desperately. Too much was happening at once. Her cousin was missing. Her girlfriend was skittish, and on top of that  _ lying  _ to her face. For all that Marie wanted to pretend she didn’t care, pretend it was something she could shrug off, it  _ bothered  _ her. Jinx had never so much as fudged the truth. 

Was it her fault? Had she really distanced herself that much in just a few days, that Jinx felt the need to lie? Was she trying to spare Marie’s feelings? It didn’t make any sense, it wasn’t  _ like  _ her. Where was Jinx sneaking off to that she didn’t want her partner to know about? 

One thing Marie knew for sure, was that she wouldn’t get an answer sitting around in Octo Valley. Maybe she didn’t even want one, after all. Maybe she just wanted to be justified, be upset for once, let Jinx wallow in the weight of her bad decisions - watch her squirm and try to apologize, as cold as that all sounded. Then again, she wasn’t thinking clearly, and rationally she knew that was ridiculous and needlessly cruel. 

It was calm and quiet in the valley, nothing but the soft sounds of bird song on the breeze, and Marie was  _ angry _ . The kind that simmered on low beneath the surface, made her skin itch - she could repress it, but it shone through in the way she strapped her shoes back on too tightly and her stride fell just a bit too heavily while she stormed past shattered glass. Back home she went, her troubles weighing just as heavily as ever on her shoulders.

\----

There were no words when the front door opened and Marie stepped into the apartment. There may have been an attempt at words, when Jinx heard the gentle sounds of footsteps and her heart rate kicked into overdrive. She immediately stood from her spot on the couch, locking eyes with her girlfriend - raw guilt etched across her face. 

A swell of cynical pride filled Marie’s chest at the sight. Good. She should feel awful, should want to make it up to the wounded party - Marie’s fingers curled into the front of the younger inkling’s hoodie before any apologies could spill from her mouth, instead yanking her in and kissing her. Hard, hot, desperate. She wasn’t as fluent in this particular language, but she refused to be denied this. 

Jinx couldn’t say no to her. She didn’t  _ want  _ to. 

When the shock wore off, the ferocity sent a shiver rippling down her back and she wrapped her arms around her partner’s neck. This was what she wanted. It was what she had been pining for, this kind of passion and heat, more starved than she realized - still, she couldn’t help but feel like there was something beneath it, something bitter. An aftertaste that lingered like the dredges of days-old coffee on the back of her tongue.

Marie pushed her back into the wall, effectively dislodging that train of thought, and she didn’t protest. It sparked a string of cause and effect - fangs caught her lip a little too harshly, she gasped into her girlfriend’s mouth. Practiced thumbs dug sharply into her hips, tongue and teeth worked their way down her throat and she tipped her head back to accommodate without question - it was all a familiar pattern, a routine stitched into the fabric of who they were. A sense of normalcy, no matter how strained or tense. 

When the older inkling pulled back to lock eyes with her again, Jinx’s breath hitched at that molten stare. She knew that look, had seen it countless times since that memorable Squidmas Eve. The one that made her weak, pliant, putty in Marie’s hands. 

They didn’t even make it back to the bedroom. 

Something very important that Jinx had picked up on in the last couple of months was that, for all of her togetherness and outwardly calm demeanor, the subtle changes in the way Marie touched her tended to give away whatever she was actually feeling. Most of the time, she caught and caged it before Jinx could get any real read on it - but sometimes there was simply no mistaking frustration in the impatient way fingertips pressed into her skin, agitation in the heat of open-mouthed kisses searing from her throat down the length of her body.

They didn’t speak for the rest of the afternoon, or into the evening. Not with real words, anyway. Touch conveyed nothing but broken fragments of truths, desperately clamoring to be heard between breathless pleas and the sweet satisfaction of lascivious responses. There came only a fleeting rush of gratification that let them abstain from reality for a while, and the pair of them chased it into the night. 

Each time felt just as desperate as the last, each kiss fervent, every touch allowing just one clear sliver of honesty to slip through: 

_ I need you. _

Three in the morning crept up on them so quickly, inklings running on the kind of exhaustion that kept the brain buzzing. Marie had drifted into a fitful sleep at some point, brow creasing as she shifted and struggled to find some comfort beneath the sheets. 

Jinx had never been so tired, and yet so far from the sweet embrace of sleep. She sat at the edge of the bed with her head in her hands, the final aftershocks of pleasure slipping away from her and leaving a chill in their wake - and she knew she couldn’t stay here for three more days. 

It weighed like a boulder in her stomach, set her on edge and shook free the last few constants that let her pretend everything was going to be fine eventually.

Nothing would ever be the same again. No matter what happened. Whether she found Callie, rescued her, helped end needless violence toward innocent Octarians, kept being a big cod damn hero that no one ever thanked for what she did - or not. The future that had seemed so bright and optimistic before escaped beyond her reach.

Still, something had to be done.

No one else was going to do it. It was up to her. 

The inkling sat there for at least another hour, tired russet eyes flickering over to the woman tossing and turning by her side. It was so still otherwise, no sound from the city outside those walls, nothing in the entire universe daring to exist at the same time as they did. Trembling fingertips reached out to brush across Marie’s cheek, soft and adoring, a motion that smoothed out the worried crease in her partner’s brow and Jinx’s hearts ached. 

“I love you,” she whispered into the silence.

In her sleep, Marie turned just a little, her nose brushing against the inside of Jinx’s wrist. Lips pressing knowingly into her palm. Fleeting, affectionate,  _ normal.  _ Flashes of memories crossed her mind’s eye like an old movie on a big screen - slumber parties, unguarded laughter, holidays together. Kisses that ranged from drowsy, slow, warm and sweet, through to brimming with mischief and hunger. 

She tried to memorize her girlfriend’s face one last time, but her vision was starting to swim and it was hard to see through the film of tears welling up.

Jinx sat up straight. She shook her head, took the deepest breath her lungs could hold, and shoved a lid down - hard - on the cluster of emotions screaming at her to change her mind. 

With that haphazardly fixed,  _ Agent 3 _ slipped away from the sheets like nothing had changed. Like it was not four in the morning, like she wasn’t leaving. 

She got dressed. Slipped into her shoes. Went through the motions.

She was gone before the sun came up.

\---

The other side of the bed felt so cold. 

Marie spread her palm out first, refusing to open her eyes against the late morning sun filtering through the blinds - reaching across the sheets and expecting to let her fingertips find warm skin, an arm she could reach for and tug, a body she could pull close and drift back to sleep half-wrapped around. There was nothing but smooth cotton, chilled like it had been empty for hours. 

Brow furrowing irritably, pop sensation Marie Cuttlefish of the Squid Sisters resisted the very powerful urge to whine about her missing girlfriend. It wasn’t unheard of for Jinx to get up before her, but it definitely wasn’t something she expected, and she only lingered in bed for another couple of minutes before sliding out of the comfort of her sheets. 

She couldn’t go back to sleep, anyway. Whatever distraction had managed to chase away the nagging reminders that her life was currently a Mess™ faded as the fog cleared and there was no pulling the brakes on that train of thought. So she tugged on some pajama pants and one of Jinx’s t-shirts, ready to start the day. More or less.

Fingertips reached for the ceiling, straining to stretch the sleep from her body as Marie ambled out into the living room. Almost immediately her skin began to prickle, something in the air thick and uncomfortable. Whatever it was, it crept up on her. Some kind of unfounded fear that maybe she was alone. Maybe Jinx was gone again. 

Maybe she wouldn’t come back this time.

_ Stop it. You’re just being paranoid. _ Marie shook her head, blaming the thought on exhaustion and the dull ache beginning to form behind her eyes. Instead she focused on things that would normally alert her to life in the apartment besides herself. The TV was off, the living room quiet and empty. Amber eyes shifted toward the kitchen next, a stubborn chill creeping in and settling in the pit of her stomach.

No sign of the younger inkling. No flash of brown eyes or tired smiles, of a gentle ‘good morning.’ 

Her fingers only trembled the tiniest bit as they came to rest on Marie’s collarbone, throat dry, tongue too thick in her mouth. She didn’t need this. She didn’t  _ ask  _ for this, and as far as she knew, she didn’t deserve it either - but the dread refused to leave, only growing more prominent by the second. 

Despite what she wanted to believe was true, when she finally chanced a glance toward the front door, there was only one pair of shoes there. They did not belong to Jinx. 

_ Don’t panic. Stop. Text her. She’s probably taking a walk, clearing her head. _

She did that all the time. 

Moving quickly back into the bedroom, Marie grabbed her phone from the nightstand and quickly slid into her text thread with her girlfriend.

[Marie]: Hey, where are you? 

All she could do was wait for the response. Well, that wasn’t entirely true - she could pace. She could walk back and forth in the same little oval of space on the living room carpet until anyone could see the visibly-worn spot where her feet had taken her, bite her thumbnail, and talk herself out of the worry and panic trying to chew at her brain. 

Needless to say, it was better than doing nothing.

\---

Every single time Jinx had thought she’d never been so tired, she was proven wrong later. This was no exception. Three days she had to lay low, three days she couldn’t talk to anyone - besides Spyke, but he wasn’t a conversationalist -  _ three entire days  _ of isolation that she’d imposed on herself, just because she couldn’t trust her mouth to not spill secrets that weren’t hers to tell. 

She was exhausted, down to the essence that made her - everything ached and she wasn’t sure if it was from exertion or just the lack of sleep. 

Once she’d left the apartment she tried to slip down to Octo Valley and have a nap, maybe just for an hour, but her eyes landed on the shattered snowglobe and she immediately felt sick. So, nixing that idea, she headed back up into the city and did something she hadn’t done since her early days as Agent 3.

She climbed buildings.

Rooftops were safe, no one ever came up there but her - she’d never seen anyone do it, anyway. It was a decent place to sit and watch life buzz around the city below, to keep out of sight if she didn’t want to be found. To consider how every nerve in her body was on high alert, every cell in her tired brain screaming for the sweet embrace of sleep but too loud to actually entertain the idea.

Her phone vibrated against her stomach, hidden in the reflective material of her NSS jacket, and the squeezing sensation around her hearts was a painful reminder that there were only three people in the entire world who texted her. One of which was missing. Against her better judgment, Jinx pulled the phone free and tried to steele herself. 

Of course it was Marie. 

And of course it felt just as horrible as she knew it would, to see that simple question scrawled across the screen. 

She shouldn’t answer it. She knew she shouldn’t. That would only make things worse - but ignoring it wasn’t an option either. Nausea churned in her stomach and she stared hard at the message until the words grew blurry and unfocused, the agent trying not to picture Marie waking up alone in that apartment. Looking for her girlfriend. Brows knitted together in concern when she realized that Jinx wasn’t there.

Jinx sucked in a deep breath and tapped out a response, backspacing several times when clumsy shaking fingers messed up the words. Said the wrong ones. 

_ I promise I’m coming home soon, it’s fine, everything’s fine. Just wait for me. Don’t worry about me. I’m going to make everything right.  _

_ I’m going to bring Callie home. _

_ I’m going to fix our family. _

_ I love you so much. _

[Jinx]: im so sorry 

  
  


The rest of the first day was a blur. Wandering around the city as out-of-sight as she could possibly be, punctuated by text messages that were either desperate or furious. Jinx didn’t want to think about the person attached to them, not when they seemed so vulnerable in comparison to Marie’s usual attitude. She spaced them out over a few hours, each one taking another ink shot straight to her heart.

10:13 AM - What the hell does that mean?

In response to Jinx’s apology. It was the hardest one to ignore, but she shoved her phone back into her pocket and kept walking. Her fingers still wrapped around the device just in case it went off again.

11:42 AM - What are you sorry for?

1:36 PM - Where did you go

Punctuation had stopped. She hoped Marie was just busy and didn’t have time to bother with anything but getting the words down.

4:23 PM - Jinx answer me

That was the last message she received on day one. Her chest weighed heavy with every word that she couldn’t respond to, no matter how badly she wanted to. 

On the second day, it didn’t start until the early afternoon, and there was only one at first: 

2:21 PM - Ame said he hasn’t heard from you. Where are you?

\---

9:41 PM - If there’s something we need to talk about then let’s talk about it.

9:42 PM - But come home first.

\---

1:49 AM - jinx please come home

\---

Nothing but radio silence on the third day. 

Jinx had finally found rest in a part of the city she was unfamiliar with, huddled in a corner. She curled up there in her squid form, hidden in shadows far from the chatter of strangers, and slept dreamlessly for so long that she woke up with a pounding headache. There was no time to worry about it, though - she had to run through the checklist before catching up with Spyke and the Captain. 

Heavy feet carried her back to Inkopolis Plaza, keeping out of sight, sliding against walls and making sure her head was down. Her mind buzzed on an endless feedback loop like it had never settled down into that dead sleep in the first place, cluttered with ‘what if’ scenarios and vicious accusations about how she was handling the situation that she knew were true. 

Dwelling on it did little good. This wasn’t negotiable. In a move she had never truly perfected, the inkling focused on tucking away how she felt in favor of being professional. Of keeping her goal in mind, keeping her eyes forward and never relenting. 

She tucked ‘Jinx’ away into a back corner of her mind. Swallowed down guilt and fear and nausea, shoved the terrified little girl behind the heaviest door she could fathom, and locked it behind her.

It was Agent 3, the tried and true face of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, who met up with Spyke and Cap’n Cuttlefish early that morning in Inkopolis. The hero who had saved the city’s power supply, put an end to DJ Octavio’s plot against the surface world, was the one who followed her commanding officer and a shady sea urchin down a series of sketchy routes to the entrance of a foreboding black tunnel. 

Agent 3’s fingers tightened around the handle of her hero shot, settling against the familiar grooves in the carbon fiber. Spaces worn away over constant use. She stood tall and sure of herself, determination painted across her face. 

“Look alive down there, Agent 3,” Cuttlefish knocked the base of his cane against the cement, disturbing grass peeking up through the cracks. “Prioritize Agent 1’s safe return!” 

She chanced a glance toward Spyke, standing not far behind them with a hand pressed to his mouth. The bag with his payment in it rested at his side, and he waited patiently for them to disappear into the tunnel he’d provided. 

His singular gaze caught her staring. He held her there, just for a moment. “Best be careful down there, luv,” he said. “Don’t know what y’might run across.” 

Lifting the hero shot without a word, Agent 3 nodded and offered him a confident smile. She could do this. She ate missions like this for breakfast. She dare not speak, lest she get jostled away from the door holding back everything she was forcing herself not to feel.

There was no time for that. Only forward motion. The Captain and his soldier made their way into the darkness, leaving Inkopolis behind them.

~Fin~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuned for the epilogue!! It's coming up right away!


	24. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time flows on.

Agent 4.

He was just a kid. Fifteen years old, full of compassion and cheer, eager to please and eager to help. He took up the modified hero shot (though he was a natural with Sheldon’s new and improved inkbrush), followed instructions without asking questions, and believed with every ounce of his being that their cause was just and noble. Rescuing juvenile zapfish from each Octarian dome, the young inkling cleared through at least one base a day - sometimes two if he was feeling confident.

He always came back to Octo Canyon, all bright smiles and excitement to keep going. To make a difference. 

Marie didn’t like to dwell on how much he reminded her of Agent 3. She also didn’t let her mind linger on how many inklings she tried to recruit before finally roping in Agent 4, none of which were actually cut out for the job. Even he seemed a bit green, but what could she do? 

A year was gone. 

_ Callie  _ was gone.

Gramps, missing.

The Great Zapfish, kidnapped.

And not one single person had been able to make contact with Agent 3.

No one was ever allowed to tell Marie that Octarians weren’t terrible. She would snipe them on the spot. It seemed there wasn’t a problem in her life that she couldn’t blame on them - on their tyrannical leader, specifically - and all of it would never have happened if they had just kept to themselves.

“Bye Marie, I’ll see ya tomorrow!” Agent 4 waved exuberantly as he passed, shifting into his squid form in mid-air and diving down through the storm drain. 

Marie watched him go, offering a small smile and a wave in return.

She hated how much she missed Agent 3 sometimes. 

She was so mad for so long. She hurt, she pined, she ached - she spent a solid month telling herself that when Jinx came home, she was going to give her an earful and then kiss her stupid. Then they could move past it - she’d consider forgiving the younger inkling, and Jinx would smile and tell her she was being stubborn, and eventually they might get back to good again. 

She’d played the scenario out in her head a hundred times before the images grew blurry and faded. The longer Agent 3 was gone, the more it became a distant fantasy, a pipe dream that left a bad taste in her mouth. Months dragged on. Her record label pulled her in more often, she got busy with that and continued work on whatever she could do to find Callie. The world still turned, and time moved forward without Jinx in her life. 

Sitting there in Octo Canyon with only the wind whistling through the floating peaks to keep her company, Marie took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She had spent so long pitching arguments back and forth in her mind over this. Pain and frustration had long-since grown past anger, simmering around ‘bitter’ as months turned into an entire year. She knew the next logical step was to let it go. To accept that it was over. 

For all she knew, Agent 3 had lost her life in the line of ‘duty’ or whatever the hell she was doing. 

But if letting go meant accepting that as a possibility, some childishly stubborn part of her insisted on digging her nails in and hanging on for dear life. 

Maybe Jinx was still alive out there. Maybe she would come back, no matter how unlikely that seemed. 

If she ever did, maybe they could talk.

Marie had so much she wanted to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't you worry.
> 
> A sequel is in the works.~


End file.
